The Last Light of the Moon
by B.D. Skunkworks
Summary: Many things can change in a thousand years, but some things are constants, no matter how tragic they may be. Nightmare Moon has risen once again, and it's up to a new generation of harmony's bearers to put a stop to her sinister plans. But so suddenly thrust into their new positions of power, and without the guidance of Princess Celestia, do they even have a hope of success?
1. Chapter 1- Summer Sun Sorties

*Chapter 1*

Summer Sun Sorties

Luna was awake, though she chose to keep her eyes mercifully (as it would be seen by her) closed for the moment. It was not the dull burn of the sun on her eyelids that pulled her towards consciousness; no, it was her own volition, or rather, apprehension that roused her. It was already known to her why she chose to wake so early, which in itself was a small miracle considering that nopony else in Equestria had even bothered with sleep to begin with.

For today was the Summer Sun Celebration.

She remembered this day, one thousand years ago. The vivid imagery painted itself against her closed eyelids. Her extrication from her lunar imprisonment, her mind and body consumed whole by the viciously single-minded entity known as Nightmare Moon; Her battle against the the bearers of the elements of harmony. She remembered; oh how she remembered! Twilight Sparkle, the element of magic whisking away her dark facade and returning her to a grateful state of sanity.

That day had been one thousand years ago.

The bodies of the bearers may have been dust, but their names were the stuff of legends. Here now as Luna finally opened her eyes, they gravitated towards the ceiling, where a brilliant fresco had been painted depicting the six bearers in their triumph over Nightmare Moon. It served as a reminder, not just to herself, but to all of Equestria, that the darkness, was finally behind them.

Luna rose from her puffy chiffon bed and stretched her four legs, making especially sure to get the blood flowing in her hind quarters. Her mane and tail, as they were to never be seen in this state by anyone but even her closest consorts, were in a disheveled sort of way that would suggest the results of a restless night of tossing to and fro. This sort of guess would not be far from the case, or rather, remotely untrue. Luna had contended with quite the bout of unpleasant imagery in her fretful sleep as she tossed hither tither through the night. However, with a rapt focus, as she channeled her magic through her spiral horn, her hair had once again regained its perpetual, gravity-defying flow about her body.

Knowing her maids would be swooping into her chambers any second and making an unhealthy fuss about getting her ready for her appearance at the celebration, Luna approached the darkened window, perhaps for a pensive moment of gazing at the still sunless landscape as she savored the last of her quiet, maid-less minutes.

Luna's eyes; wide, dark, and solemn, were reflected back at her in the darkened glass. It was here that the question surfaced in her mind. 'Is this really me? Am I still looking at the _true_ Luna? Or just the Luna that remained after the Nightmare had passed?' Luna quelled her somber thoughts with a vigorous shake of her stately head. 'I am now as I always should have been,' she told her self. 'Never should I have allowed such a wickedness to taint my being. I am Luna, princess of Equestria, now and forever more.'

_Or are you?_

Luna at once squeezed her eyes shut tight, as though robbing herself of one of her senses could possibly deaden the other ones. But there was nothing that could block the hideous voice inside her mind.

_One thousand years. One thousand years I have waited for my return, and oh what a glorious return it will be._

Luna's eyelids were in danger of permanently sealing themselves shut with the exertion of pressure she mustered to keep them closed. "You will make no such thing happen," she said out loud, attempting to silence the voice. "You are no longer part of me!"

_Oh I am very much still a part of you, Luna. Open your eyes and see for yourself._

Though she fought with every fiber of her being not to comply, Luna eventually succumbed to a morbid sort of inevitability. She slowly peeled her eyes open and stared into her reflection. Only it was not her reflection that stared back at her. Reflected in the glass was a being (with a rather ironically applicable namesake) that haunted her in all of her deepest nightmares.

The eyes were cold, mirthless, and vertically slitted, like a snake's. Her body was blacker than even the darkest of all onyx. But perhaps worst of all, when this terrible nightmare spoke, it was with Luna's own voice. _Do you not see now, Luna? You cannot deny me; even your own two eyes are telling you that I'm right here in front of you."_

"No!" Luna looked directly into the face of her tormenter. "You're not me! You're not me!"

_Deny me all you like, but you will never be rid of me. And I will be making my grand resurgence today._

"No!" With a shriek, Luna plunged her fore hoof into the glass window, which shattered with enough racquet to surely wake the whole of Canterlot, which would have been a feat seeing as they were all awake anyway. And suddenly, there was a gentle knock on her door. Luna focused her magic with haste and instantly the window was repaired again. "Come in," she called.

It was not her maids as Luna had expected, but her sister, princess Celestia herself. She slowly clip-clopped her way across the room and joined Luna at the window. A silence pervaded the short space between them, in which something that the outside observer would view as miraculous.

It is often said that most siblings can communicate without words or gestures, simply by picking up on the others' mood. But between these two sisters, non-verbal communication was just the beginning. There was a bond the two shared older than the magic that permeated their bodies. Even worlds away from the other, one would simply have to focus but a single thought onto the other and a world's worth of conversation would be passed between them. And that's precisely what happened here in this five second eternity.

"She spoke to me," Luna said, staring into her now normal reflection.

Celestia needn't ask who, what, how or when. Just by walking into this room, despite the moment that Luna alluded to being well in the past, Celestia was all too knowledgeable of each and every word that passed between Luna and Nightmare Moon. Celestia let out a slow, mournful breath that flared her nostrils as it escaped her body. "It has been one thousand years since that day," she began. "Two thousand since her initial appearance. And in that time, many changes have occurred." Celestia paused here as she reloaded for breath, staring at her own brilliant white reflection. "But there is one more change that need happen."

Luna could often see through her sister's sometimes cryptic verbal delivery, but something about Celestia's trailing tone made her ask, "What? What change?"

To that, Celestia only said. "A change one thousand years in the making. All the pieces are in place and only time, trial, and tribulation will tell if the correct choices were made." Celestia finally turned to face Luna wholly. "I love you more than anything in my life, dear sister. And that will never change, regardless of what comes to pass." She muzzled Luna lovingly but briefly, and made her way out of the chamber.

Luna pondered over what Celestia had said. A change one thousand years in the making? Whatever the change regarded, Luna had no fathom as to what it could be. She them noticed that in Celestia's void, her maids had finally made their appearance. The smiles were plain on their faces as they were giddy with the excitement of putting all their energy into prepping their princess for the celebration. Luna sighed heavily and drew her body into the most dignified posture she could muster. "Dress me," she said.

...

And in no more than an hour's time, she and the rest of the royal party were out on the Canterlot castle lawns ready to witness Celestia raise the sun. As Luna looked about the crowd of excited pony folk milling about with fever anticipation, she remarked to herself that while many things have changed in the span of one thousand years, many things have remained the same. Ponies of all species mingled here together; earth, unicorn, and Pegasus. They were a riot of color against the blooming gardens, even in their full splendor. Luna remembered fondly the days of tri-hierarchy between herself, Celestia, and Twilight Sparkle.

They called it the "Trilight Era" Though Twilight was young not just in years, but also the experience and responsibilities expected of a ruling princess, she rose to the occasion masterfully. Twilight's favor of cool-headed logic, and quick-witted understanding and application, saw her forge ahead with a more tight-nit social structure, and forming alliances with foreign diplomats from Saddle Arabia and even the United States of A-mare-ica. And even amongst her royal duties, she found time to have a family.

Luna remembered young Twilight being quite taken by one of her personal guards, Flash Sentry. The two had a sweeping courtship, and were soon married. Together they had three children; two daughters and a son; Starshine, a unicorn; Twilight Rose, also a unicorn; and Flash Flight, a Pegasus.

But, of course, Luna and Celestia both knew that Twilight would not be with them forever. Though the right of ascension had added many years to her life, she was not gifted immortality as the legendary sisters were. Twilight lived to be two-hundred-and-sixty-six years old. In which, she had the somber experience of out living all of her friends and family. Watching them grow old and eventually passing away; her five closest friends, her fellow bearers of the elements; her parents; her childhood foal-sitter, Cadence (for whom eternal life was not a gift either) ; her brother Shining Armor; and of course, her husband and children. Though the record keepers kept meticulous track of Twilight's grandchildren, (for all three of her children had married and reproduced) and their children's children, and so forth through the many generations. However, after a millennium, Twilight's royal blood, even in any of her living ancestors today, was much too dilute to hold a claim to any royalty. And thus Luna and Celestia were once again co-rulers.

It was with these thoughts in mind that Luna stood watching the mass of ponies in their eager wait to witness the sunrise. From her position high on the stage, she watched as a group of six young ponies nosed their way to the front of the crowd. they looked just a tad bit winded and disheveled, as though they had hurried here from some great distance. Luna took note that their little click consisted of two of each of the pony species, with a mare and a stallion representing each kind. And then suddenly she found herself staring into the eyes of the unicorn stallion. His coat was a rich shade of green-tinted sunset and his hair was deep orange with a fierce yellow highlight. His wide orange eyes were locked directly on hers as a young filly, with a remarkably similar color scheme to his, was trying to attract his attention.

Did she know this unicorn? No, of course not. So why did Luna suddenly have the feeling that she was supposed to? Something inside her being told her to remember his face, for she was certain that she would be seeing him again...somehow.

All other things were put out of her mind now as Celestia took her position on the stage in front of the golden sun's altar. The air exploded with cheers and applause as the ponies stomped their hooves in raucous fanfare. Celestia spread her magnificent wings and took to the air, slowly coaxing the brilliant orange sun from it's cradle as she did so.

And then it happened. The sinister voice of the nightmare entered Luna's mind again.

_Such a repulsive thing, the sun._

Luna shut her eyes again as she struggled to quell her internal struggle.

'I'm not letting you have your way' she said mentally to the nightmare. 'You shall not come between me and anything else. I will master you!'

_Oh, is that so? Then ask yourself this, dear Luna. What do these ponies, these subjects of yours even offer you in return for your efforts in raising the moon each night?_

'Shut up!'

_Nothing, that's what! They spend the entirety of your glorious night time doing what? Sleeping! Lying there inert and ignorant to the beauty of your work!_

'Shut up!'

_Do not deny that you have indeed asked yourself why this is. You and I both know that should be your moon in the sky! To rule Equestria as the single cosmic body for all of eternity to come!_

'SHUT UP!'

_Yes, fight me! The more you do so, the stronger I become. Your denial will be your undoing. You will surrender control, and you will aid me in ensuring that the night will last forever. The only way to get these fools to appreciate your work is through force! And I will see it done!_

"NOOOO!" And in an instant, Luna felt her brain split. She was conscious of losing all mental and bodily control and then...there was only freedom. A glorious malevolence empowered her being as she felt herself take new form. The screams and startled eyes of the crowd of ponies were all pointed in her direction. Those who did not flee stood rooted in trances of stupefied horror as the reality of what they were seeing truly came to light against the rising sun.

Nightmare Moon has risen once again.

*End of chapter 1*

...

_**A/N:**_** Okay, I have DEFINATELY got some explaining to do. Number one, I have been gone a while; number two, I'm starting a new fic (mother of mercy, not another one!), and thirdly, I still suck at P4 arena (curse you Yukiko, and your high execution!) **

** But here, as it stands, I have a piece of sad news that is my deepest displeasure to divulge. My MTG fic, **_**The Angel and the Saint**_**...will not be continuing. And the reason is simple. I no longer play magic the gathering, I've hung it up and have become completely out of touch with it. And it's quite difficult, and subsequently pointless to force myself to write a fic for a game I no longer care about, and thus, the spark has died (so to speak). I'm sorry to leave the tale in limbo like that, but there's nothing else for it, literally. I've gone back to my true and original love, the Pokemon trading card game. (And maybe a possible Pokemon fic somewhere down the line.)**

** On a happier note, there is light at the end of my dark fanfic tunnel.**

**Friendship is magic has recently come into my life and has sparked a whole new vein of creativity for me, and hence, this little story came to be. I've no real idea how long it's going to be, but it will most certainly feature my usual hallmark, a complete cast of original characters, or OP's (original ponies).**

** So that is that. I want to thank anyone who took the time to give my new story a read and I'll definitely see you all again soon.**

** - B.D. Skunkworks **


	2. Chapter 2- New Moon

*Chapter 2*

New Moon

Summer Blaze was asleep. He had not meant to fall asleep, of course, this was the day of the Summer Sun Celebration, how could he sleep?As it just so happens, a big lunch and a quick lie can be a dangerous combination.

He was having quite the strange dream. He was watching the sun rising in the sky, when suddenly, it changed it's trajectory and started to come right in his direction! It was funny, wasn't the sun supposed to be...hot? This particular star seemed to radiate no heat whatsoever. And in mere moments it was poking him in the face, while calling his name in a gratingly familiar voice.

"...Blaze, get up! C'mon, we'll be late for the sunrise! We're supposed to be in Canterlot, remember?"

Summer Blaze lifted his head from its resting place between his front hooves. "Alright, Dusk, I'm up!" he cried, dodging yet another furious prod from his baby sister's mighty hoof. Summer Blaze and Summer Dusk lived together in a spacious one-story house on the edge of Ponyville. Though Blaze and his sister had not been living here for more than a year, they had quickly taking a liking to the place.

They were both originally born in Mare-izona, but as soon as Summer Blaze was old enough to start work (he assisted in heavy construction using his magic) he received a cordial letter from Princess Celestia herself inviting them both to live in Ponyville. And one nine hour train ride later, they had settled in their new home, with Blaze looking after his sister ever since.

Both Summer Blaze and Summer Dusk had the same bright orange-green coat, and deep orange hair with a distinctive intense yellow highlight running the length of their manes. Also, there was another highly distinguishing feature between the two of them (aside from their gender of course. With their mother being an earth pony, and their father being a unicorn, it was highly probable that the magic power in the family would skip a generation, and while Summer Blaze inherited his father's unicorn genes, Summer Dusk, was born hornless. Even then, their cutie marks were similar; Blaze's was a full orange sun, swirled by three white cirrus clouds. And Dusk's resembled that of the sun dipping below the horizon.

"Up now!" Dusk gave Blaze's hind quarters a had shove and he fell from the bed.

"Alright, sheesh!" Blaze regained his footing as he shook his mane back into place. "Obviously you're rarin' to go."

"I can't wait to meet Princess Celestia face to face!" Dusk hopped about the room in a series of excitable circles, narrowly missing colliding with her brother.

Blaze focused his magic as he playfully lifted Dusk into the air. "And what makes you think the Princess will take time out just for you?" he chided her.

"I have all her story books!" Dusk retorted, her stubby filly legs pumping fruitlessly in the air. "I know everything about her; I'm her biggest fan!"

"I'll be sure to tell her that," Blaze said. he tossed his head and Dusk was deposited gently on the bed. "So when will the others be showing up?"

It was here that Dusk took to evoking a habit that she had adopted in her earliest years of life. She scrunched her face up and crossed her eyes, converging them on a spot on her forehead where (had she one to begin with) her horn would be. She called this, "Doing magic". "They should be here right...about..."

There was a knock on the front door.

"...Now! Aha! I really am magic after all!" And she galloped towards the door, flush with her victorious magical prediction.

Summer Blaze followed her, and in the foyer, he met his four best friends in Ponyville.

First was a Pegasus stallion named Nova Burst; his coat was a gleaming charcoal black and his hair was stark white against it, with his mane being cut like a Mohawk. His eyes were light green and his cutie mark was that of a comet in flight. Then there was the Pegasus mare, Fairweather; Her coat was a very moderate marigold and her hair was sky-blue. Her eyes were dark aqua and her cutie mark was a puffy white cloud with a mix of snow and raindrops falling across her flank.

Then there was the earth stallion, Ivy Leagues. His coat was rich chestnut and his slightly unkempt hair was dirty-blonde. His eyes were dark brown and his cutie mark was a picket fence with tendrils of ivy winding through it.

And lastly, there was the unicorn mare, Mirrorrim. (Mirror-rim) her coat was a lovely eggshell white and her hair was deep silver. Her eyes were a lighter silver than her coat, and her cutie mark was a round hand mirror with an elaborate gold frame.

Everypony exchanged highly excited and just slightly sleep deprived greetings, except for Mirrorrim, who sat politely on her haunches and gazed about Summer Blaze's candle-lit home.

"Hope you guys are ready for this!" Nova Burst chattered wildly.

"You kiddin'? I've been ready since yesterday!" Ivy Leagues retorted.

"I've been ready since forever!" Summer Dusk piped up.

"Oh, that's right, this is your first celebration, isn't it, Dusk?" Fairweather said gently.

"Yep! I'm gonna meet the princess!"

"So is everypony else; keep your horseshoes on, Dusk," Summer Blaze said patiently.

"I'm gonna meet the princess! I'm gonna meet the princess!" Dusk sang.

Mirrorrim cast a look at Blaze's clock and said calmly to the group, "If we intend to be in Canterlot in time, I suggest we leave now."

"Glad somepony around here can tell time," Blaze said. "Let's get a move on!" And the ponies trotted out the door and into the wonderfully cool night.

It was rather amazing, although the ponies alive today would never really know or seemingly appreciate, just how little effect the flow of time seemed to have on the small town of Ponyville. Here now, in the night hours, everything was lit by candles or faerie lights. The many dwelling, houses shops, and other buildings were still hewn from materials that were brought in on the strong backs of the earth ponies. The only real change of course, were the generations and generations of ponies that have lived in Ponyville over the time span during, and after the time of princess Twilight. And even then, and most certainly now, Ponyville has always been the small, out of the way, and charmingly rustic (as a certain pony had once put it) town where everypony knew everypony.

The group trotted along the town square, chatting happily about what they would see at the Summer Sun Celebration. They joined a queue of ponies along their way, all heading towards the gondola that would take them strait to Canterlot.

The gondola was one of the great innovations the pony mechanics had invented in the last few years. The gondola itself was a large, sturdy steel car that could easily accommodate fifty full-grown stallions. A series of nearly unbreakable cables spanned the distance between Ponyville and Canterlot, and the gondola would travel back and forth between the two locations. Of course, admission was not free; you needed to purchase a ticket to ride, or be on important official business for Canterlot. But on the night of the Summer Sun Celebration, a ticket was not required; everypony rode for free.

The group came to a stop as they joined a rather lengthy line formed at the gondola. "Oh my, I hope we make it on time..." Fairweather said.

Mirrorrim gazed up at the stars. After determining their position for a moment, she said to the group, "We will not make it. Celestia will be raising the sun in forty-five minutes."

"Ah, pony feathers!" Ivy snapped. "I reckon we shoulda left sooner..."

"But..but..."Summer Dusk was on the verge of tears, knowing she was going to miss her first Summer Sun Celebration.

"Well, there's always next year, Dusk," Summer Blaze said as he muzzled his sister's neck. "I knew that nap was a bad idea..."

"We can make it," Mirrorrim said.

Ivy looked to her, the skepticism plain in his wide eyes. " Now how do ya figure that, Mirror?" he said. "You said yerself we only got the forty-five minutes, and with this here line-a ponies in front of us, we're pretty much outta luck. Now, 'less you got a trick up yer mane..."

"Exactly," said Mirror. "Everypony gather up on me."

The five ponies gathered tightly around Mirror and waited. She then focused her magic through her horn as it glowed with a soft pearl-colored aura. And then, the six ponies simply vanished from the spot with a flash. And just as suddenly, they re-appeared inside the crowded gondola, just as the doors were sliding shut.

"Awesome!" Nova cried, rearing up and pumping his fore hooves through the air, nearly walloping a unicorn couple to his left. "That's our girl, Mirror!"

"It was clever, wasn't it?" Mirror said, preening in her triumph.

"Oh, I do feel sorry for those ponies we cut off," Fairweather said.

"Ah, they'll get in next time," Nova said back, high-hoofing Summer Dusk, whose hopes of seeing her first Summer Sun Celebration were now soaring higher than ever.

"Yeah, well the gondola ride still takes half an hour," Blaze said rationally. "We're still cutting it awfully close."

"Nutin' a good run won't fix," Ivy said as he began to stretch his legs to limber up.

"You don't think you could do that again, could you?" Blaze asked Mirror. "You could get us strait into Canterlot gardens!"

"I cannot," mirror said. "I can only teleport to places I've been to before, like this gondola for instance. I, however, have never even set hoof inside Canterlot gardens." She eyed Blaze thoughtfully, and somewhat critically. "How about yourself? Can you do it?"

"My magic isn't really good for teleportation," Blaze said back. "I'm more of a heavy lifter."

"Honestly. A unicorn that can't teleport? You should really brush up your repertoire, Blaze. In all the time I've known you-"

"All seven months you mean?"

The group laughed. Mirror, however, pointed her nose in the air. "Which is adequate time for you to learn new spell or two."

Summer Blaze laughed silently to himself. He had learned to take Mirror's haughty arrogance in stride and good humor, he knew it was just a sign of her prodigious intelligence, which she never bothered to hide.

All of the ponies squashed inside the gondola were starting to become rather uncomfortable now. Mirrorrim having crammed all six of their group inside the car along with all the other ponies making the trip was a rather foolish move. And on top of things, with so many bodies stuffed into a relatively small space, it was becoming quite hot inside. Fairweather beat her wings in an attempt to circulate the stagnant air. "Whew! I hope we're there soon."

Nova copied Fairweather's example as he flapped his wings. "It really could be a lot cooler in here, by at least twenty percent..."

"Hey, there it is!" Summer Dusk cried out. With some little difficulty she managed to hop onto her brother's shoulders and press her face to the window.

All of the ponies in the car now shuffled to the window for a view of Canterlot in all it's moon-lit splendor.

"It's amazing!" Fairweather said.

"It's just like I imagined!" Ivy said.

"It is a sight, alright," Blaze said.

Though the group had been living in Ponyville for time now, none of them had ever attended the Summer Sun Celebration before. But on this night, something that none of them could explain compelled them towards it. It was never spoken amongst them, nor was it something they even stopped to think about. It was just something that they could_ feel_ that drove them towards the castle. And Summer Blaze knew, that in more ways than one, something spectacular was awaiting him; all of them; in that garden tonight.

The gondola finally pulled into the station and the doors slid open, letting in a rush of refreshingly floral-scented air. The ponies piled out and immediately headed towards the Canterlot gardens. Fairweather wanted to stop and admire the wonderfully decorated grand station they have arrived in.

"And risk missing the sunrise? I don't think so! C'mon" Nova gave Fairweather a nudge that dislodged her nose from the flower she happened to be smelling.

Guided by signposts and Canterlot sentries that pointed the way, the party ran at a full gallop as they finally plowed into the grand Canterlot garden.

"Finally...made...it..." Though Blaze considered himself quite fit, the flat out run had left him thoroughly winded. Poor Mirror had sank her head between her forelegs as she gasped for breath.

"Aw c'mon, y'all!" cried Ivy Leagues, whom the run had not affected at all."Y'all really wanna be stuck in the back of this big 'ol crowd?"

There was, quite obviously, an enormous crowd of ponies here in the garden, all clamoring for a chance to see Princess Celestia up close, and witness the sunrise.

"We'll save you guys a seat up front!" Nova said, as he and Fairweather took flight over the crowd. The rest of the ponies pushed themselves determinedly, but politely to the front as fast as they could. Finally breaking the crowd, they caught up with the two Pegasi and caught their first glimpse of the grand garden stage.

At first, Blaze was absolutely sure he had walked into a dream. This couldn't be real; it wasn't possible. But he knew better; nothing about this was fictional, his suddenly skyrocketing heartbeat was telling him so. Right there on the stage before him, staring back into his very on eyes, was the most beautiful mare he had ever seen. Her glorious coat was the exact color of the darkest time of night just before dawn; her eyes, so wide, dark, and lovely, reflected the shimmer of the stars caught her magnificent, ever-flowing mane.

He was aware, but just oh so vaguely, of Summer Dusk prodding him in the chest, trying to call his attention somewhere else. But there was nothing in this world or the infinity of all others that could pull his eyes away from her.

Princess Luna.

Blaze suddenly remembered the stories in Dusk's picture books; how the sisters were depicted in them. No painting on earth could possibly begin to capture Luna's beauty, he thought. Though he also remembered that at one time Luna had become a creature of wicked darkness, Nightmare Moon. But that was in the past, Twilight Sparkle and the bearers of the elements saw to Nightmare Moon's defeat. It was all legend now, the stuff of story books.

Suddenly, everypony's attention was taken by the entrance of Princess Celestia herself. The ponies stomped their hooves as they relished in her presence. Celestia was quite beautiful too, Blaze thought. The story books hadn't done her justice either. But she in no way compared to Luna, who Blaze found his eyes on again.

But something about her had changed. Her eyes were not watching Celestia, who had just taken wing as she rose into the air above the sun altar, bringing the morning light with her. Luna's eyes were closed tight, as though she were harnessing all of her determination _not_ to watch. Blaze thought for a moment that Luna had looked directly into the sun and had become temporarily blinded. But when she appeared to be talking to herself, is when Blaze became worried.

"She doesn't look so good..." he said to Nova Burst, was on his immediate left.

Nova had not heard him however, he was hovering in the air along with many other of the pegasus ponies in their rush of joyous elation. Blaze tugged hard on his tail to bring him back to earth. "Hey, ow!" Nova snapped. "What's the deal, Blaze?"

"Something's wrong with Luna," Blaze said, pointing a hoof at the distressed princess.

"Ah, she probably looked into the sun too hard or something," Nova said dismissively.

"No, I mean something is really wrong with her!" Blaze felt it a matter of life and death to covey this firmly to Nova, who's skull was often thicker than a brick wall in the best of times. "She might be sick or-"

"NOOO!"

A sudden rush of midnight darkness had overtaken Luna's body completely. Everypony's attention was immediately drawn to the bizarre phenomena. There were screams and stares as they witnessed the transformation of one of their princesses. And finally, standing fully revealed against the now blazing sun, was the entity that which the ponies of Equestria today have only read about in fairy tales.

Nightmare Moon.

*End of Chapter 2*

...

**A/N:**

** Hurray for updates! Please excuse my rather staccato update pattern; little things like life; bills; and work kinda get in the way of fanfictin writing.**

** I'm sorry if this chapter didn't advance the story at all, I just wanted it to serve as an introduction to the new (my) mane six.**

** Among other things, I think I'm slowly improving my Yukiko in P4A (I can do a double maragi loop now!) And I plan on hittin' pokemon league hard in preparation for the upcoming regionals (10/26 mark it down pokemon players!) **

** I'd like to thank anyone who took the time to give my story a read, and hang tight for chapter three! I'll see you all again soon. **


	3. Chapter 3- Sun and Moon

*Chapter 3*

Sun and Moon

Summer Blaze thought he was dreaming again. This time he was sure of it. But it was the screams of the pony folk around him that brought him to the realization that this was no dream.

This was a nightmare.

The mare of the night cackled wildly from up high on the stage. Most of the ponies had fled for their lives. But Blaze knew that no distance they could travel would deliver them from the true damage that Nightmare Moon wished to inflict upon them; night time eternal.

Celestia had finally seen what was happening below her and she swooped down in a graceful instant to land opposite the dark mare on the stage. "Nightmare!" she called. "What have you done with Luna?"

Nightmare Moon grinned widely, showing her needle-sharp incisors. "The Luna that you love is gone, foolish princess," she said. "There is only Nightmare Moon, as there always should have been!"

It was here that Blaze noticed that none of his friends had fled;they gathered around him in tense circle as they watched the events unfold on the stage. "Dusk! Get behind me!" The young filly ducked behind her brother as she stared timidly though his legs.

Up on the stage, the two sisters squared off. Summer Blaze was awed by the intensity of the magical aura emanating from the both of them, and neither of them had even cast a spell yet.

"I have waited too long for this moment!" Nightmare said. "We both know that you are but powerless to stop me. What resistance do you possibly have to offer?"

Celestia pawed the stage with her fore hoof, a threatening, if rather empty gesture given her retort. "Powerless I may be, but I still do have a ways of resisting you."

It was then that Celestia glared at the group of the six huddled ponies just at the foot of the stage. Summer Blaze wasn't sure why or how, but he knew that she was expecting something from them, but what?

Nova Burst seemed to catch on faster than any of them. He took to the air and cried mightily, "What are you guys waiting for? Celestia needs our help, c'mon!"

"But what are we supposed do against Nightmare Moon?" Fairweather said fretfully.

Her question didn't seem to faze Nova as he flew up to the stage to join Celestia's side.

"Ah, dang it! We can't let that foal go alone, c'mon y'all!" Ivy Leagues charged heartily after Nova onto the stage.

Seeing nothing else for it, the rest of the group bounded onto the stage and took Celestia's side as they faced off against Nightmare Moon.

Nightmare laughed uproariously as she spread her jet-black wings in a gesture of mirthful intimidation. "This is the best you can do, Celestia? Six ordinary ponies which you drummed up from the rabble?"

Nightmare was quite right, of course. In the face of this emerging evil, Blaze felt anything but powerful and heroic. And what about poor Dusk? He edged slightly to his left, attempting to hide his sister from Nightmare Moon's view.

"I can assure you, Nightmare, that these are no ordinary ponies," Celestia said. "They are indeed our greatest hope, and the bringers of your downfall!"

Blaze could hardly believe his ears. How were they supposed to stand up to the legendary mare of darkness?

Nightmare laughed at the top her voice, though the sound carried no traces of amusement. "Do not make me laugh, dear sister." Nightmare caught herself, then said devilishly, "Oh wait, you already have."

"Laugh while you can, nightmare," Celestia retorted. Blaze had the distinct feeling that she was leading up to the head of her speech; some grand declaration. Which Celestia promptly delivered. "It just so happens that the ponies that stand before are indeed...the Elements of Harmony!"

Blaze was hit with a sudden wave of 'I must be dreaming again'. Surely he had heard Celestia wrong; how was it that he and his friends could bear the elements? The true bearers were long dead; their bodies since becoming dust. The magic of harmony was thought to be long lost afterward, so this sudden revelation...

The group of ponies looked to Celestia with varying degrees of confusion, except for Mirror, who had adopted an expression of bewildered understanding.

"Listen, my children," Celestia addressed the group. "What you have heard is the truth. The magic of the elements was never lost, but instead has now imbued itself within a new generation of bearers that it deems worthy of it's wielding.

The power now lies with you, my little ponies; look deep inside yourselves to find the potential that I always knew you had!"

Through all of this, Nightmare maintained a posture of calculating amusement. Even if the words Celestia spoke were true, she knew that these lost little foals had not even a hope of challenging her.

Blaze looked from Princess Celestia to the eyes of his friends. He stared at each of them in turn, as he cast about his deepest thoughts in search of the truth that Celestia had imparted onto them. It was when his eyes fell in Mirror that he felt it. She stared wholly back into his own eyes, as though silently willing him to understand something, that apparently, she already knew.

And then there was something that he couldn't explain. Inside Mirrorrim's wide eyes, there was a sudden flash. That was the sign that Blaze's brain was seemingly waiting for. He felt something fire inside his mind; a trigger; a spark. And then his vision was lost to a brilliant whiteness. The garden around him disappeared entirely as his four hooves left the ground in a magical elevation. And no sooner than this phenomena began, it ended. No great physical change had come over the ponies, but there was definitely something different about them.

Summer Blaze checked himself over and found that a wonderful golden necklace had suddenly adorned him. Being a creature of magic himself, he was instantly able to recognize the immense magical power the necklace seemed to exude. looking more closely at it, he saw that it was set with a beautiful gemstone that resembled the shape of a diamond. Looking around his friends, he saw that they too were gifted the magical necklaces. Except for Mirrorrim that was. Her gift was a grand tiara that was perched magnificently atop her head.

"My, my..." Nightmare said. "It has been some time since I've seen those lovely elements." Her eyes were narrowed with a morbidly fond reminiscence. "And even now, Celestia, you choose to put your faith in something these foals have no hope of mastering?"

"That's what you think!" Nova Burst had spoken out with a sudden ferocity. He took wing as he stared Nightmare in the eye. "If you think we can't beat you with the elements, then you've got another thing coming!"

The group took heart to Nova's outcry and formed themselves more tightly together.

"If what I remember from the legends are true," Mirror said, having positioned herself in front of the group. "Then these elements will see to your demise! You were defeated once before, and you shall be again!" She seemed to have taken charge of the group as she said to the other ponies, "Everypony, focus your minds into your elements! See Nightmare Moon vanquished inside your minds and make the vision a reality!"

Blaze focused every last fiber of himself into the magical necklace he now wore. He felt the others around him doing the same. It was there, with all six of them focusing their thoughts on a single purpose, did Blaze feel it. It was a rush of magical energy more intense than anything he has ever felt before. The force of energy was so great as to lead Blaze to believe that he had no hope of harnessing such a great power alone. It was only with the help of his friends that he knew this was possible.

The jewel around Blaze's neck grew warm with the flow of intense magic. And then, forming itself before his eyes, a wonderful rainbow bloomed from his necklace, which connected itself the the other elemental jewels until they were all linked by the magic of the elements.

The look in Nightmare's eyes had changed just slightly. She looked just slightly concerned, but oddly enough, it wasn't what was happening before her that caused this change. Unless Blaze was mistaken, Nightmare Moon seemed to be conversing with herself. "Of course you recognize them, don't you? They may have saved you once, but they will not do so again."

What could she mean? Who was Nightmare talking to? And then it hit him. But Blaze didn't dare believe it. Could it be that...just maybe...Luna was still inside Nightmare Moon, and consciously fighting against her? Blaze was filled with a rush of overheated emotion at the thought of the beautiful pony he had met what now seemed forever ago. It was now more pressing than ever to destroy Nightmare Moon, and rescue Luna in the process.

With his thoughts firmly set on rescuing Luna, he joined his will with the others as his mind was seemingly lost to a force he couldn't control. And from the linked elements erupted a rainbow, with all the colors of the elements themselves, that hurtled strait towards Nightmare Moon. Nightmare took ready and folded her wings protectively around her body as the rainbow projectile enveloped her in a rushing torrent of color. The magic left Blaze's body as he was returned to his senses along with the other ponies.

They watched as Nightmare struggled with the rainbow magic swirling around her. And then, with a triumphant cry of exertion, she spread her black wings and broke free of the spell.

The ponies gave a uniform gasp. "But how!?" Mirrorrim seemed the most surprised of all of them.

"If the elements don't work..." Fairweather said miserably.

"What do we do, princess?" Summer Dusk whined.

"Alas, children," Celestia said mournfully. "This is as I expected."

"You what!?" Summer Blaze said. "Are you telling me that you _expected_ the elements to fail?"

"She has indeed known it for some time, is that not right, dear sister?"

Celestia did not respond immediately, but eyed Nightmare balefully."And now that these foals have failed you, it is time to reap what you know has been coming to you." Nightmare advanced threateningly, but the six ponies moved together to block her path. Nightmare laughed with a mirthless amusement. "How admirable," she said. "You know you cannot defeat me, and yet you persist?" With an effortless motion, Nightmare harnessed a spark of her dark magic and easily cast the six ponies off the stage. They landed in a tangled heap on the manicured grass of the garden.

And even through all of this, Celestia remained defiantly stoic. It was as though she had resigned herself to the fact that Nightmare Moon could not be overcome with the weapons she had at her aid, not even the elements of harmony. But unbeknownst to anypony around her, Celestia's vision; her plan had come to fruition. The six elements had been gathered; but now, in the hooves of these new bearers, there was still a huge part of their yet unforeseen destiny that they need embrace. All that was needed, was a great change.

Nightmare faced Celestia now, the contempt clear in her slitted eyes. "So long I have waited for this; this moment. Of course you knew this was coming, did you not?" Nightmare continued as Celestia remained silent. "After the former bearers unleashed their power upon me, you thought me dead; destroyed; gone forever. But my defeat was simply the addition of time; I spent those one thousand years planning my return, and see how my plan has come to fruition. But before that...before the bearers of the elements came to be, you were their sole master. And you turned those elements upon me; locking me inside my own moon; my own celestial body of command. How fitting would it be, I wonder, to have that very same act of valediction imposed upon _you?_"

Summer Blaze and the other ponies looked onto the stage in helpless horror. If even the elements of harmony were useless against Nightmare Moon, could Celestia muster any force at all that would stop her?

"Mark my words, Celestia, all of Equestria will fall into darkness! The moon shall rise, everlasting in it's dominion of the sky! Your time in this world will end at my volition! NOW BE GONE WITH YOU!" Nightmare focused a spell that caused her entire body to be shimmer with a dark veil of night-magic. She pointed her horn strait at Celestia and loosed a powerful blast of the dark energy. And then, seemingly in slow motion, Celestia was overcome by the force of the spell. She left sight entirely as her body was whisked away by the black haze. And moving faster than even light itself, she was taken from, not just Equestria, but the world altogether.

Celestia had just been banished to the sun.

*End of chapter 3*

...

**A/N:**

** September one; new month new update! Huzzah! How many points do I receive? (Oh, Luna!) Any who; tryin' to keep this fic movin' along amongst all the other things in life; like dropping P4 arena completely and going back to my true; my one; my original fighting love; BlazBlue Calamity Trigger. (I'd rather play Rachel than Yukiko any day) Shame the community isn't what it once was...**

** Whoa, gettin' off topic here. Just want to thank anyone who took the time to give my story a read, and fanfiction user _bluecatcinema_ for the review. I'll be sure to update again soon.**

** -B.D. Skunkworks**


	4. Chapter 4- Into the Breach

*Chapter 4*

Into the Breach

**_We sailed away across the seven seas_

_To find an answer to the mysteries._

_We sailed away into eternity_

_We wrote our names in the book of memories**_

_ -Olympos Mons- Seven Seas_

_..._

Celestia had just been banished to the sun.

Summer Blaze and the other ponies were aghast with a disbelieving horror. How could Celestia be so easily overcome? And being banished into the sun...could she possibly be...

Nightmare Moon Laughed with a maniacal triumph; seeing no further hindrances before her. "And now to claim my rightful dominion of the sky!" Nightmare focused her magic and slowly lowered the brilliant sun with an almost casually dismissive toss of her terrifying head. And in it's place, rose the bright moon, shining with a forlorn pearl-like pallor.

"This can't be it...it jus' can't..." Ivy Leagues' eyes were reflecting the moon in all it's terrible splendor.

"Blaze...what do we do?" Summer Dusk whined into Blaze's flank.

"I don't know..." It just now only seemed to occur to him what had truly transpired here on this night; the return of the tyrannical Nightmare Moon; the entrusting of the Elements of Harmony with himself and his friends; and seemingly worst of all, the death of Princess Celestia. (Blaze did not want to say 'death', but he doubted that even Celestia could survive on the sun.) And with the elements failing to have any effect on Nightmare Moon whatsoever, Equestria seemed almost destined to fall under her darkness.

It was now that Nightmare seemed to notice that the six ponies were still in her immediate field of vision; it was as if she thought they would simply turn tail and flee for their lives along with the others. After all, with their elements all but useless against her, why bother even standing their ground? Their stupidity (or perhaps it could be seen as 'bravery') was starting to become quite irksome. "Apparently..." Nightmare hissed, as she advanced on the group of ponies. "You lot wish to suffer the same fate as your foolish princess? That can be easily made so!" Her long spiral horn came alive with dark magic as she took aim at the ponies.

Mirrorrim snapped into action. "Everypony gather around me!" The six ponies huddled together as Mirror focused her teleportation spell around them. And then in a blinding flash, they vanished from the stage, just barely avoiding a blast of evil magic that would have jettisoned them to Nightmare-only-knows-where.

The group re-appeared within the candle-lit walls of Mirror's home. Summer Blaze landed upon a teetering stack of books and crashed to the floor in a tangle of hair and paper.

After recovering from teleportation indued shock, a heavy silence fell over the group. It was the kind of silence that seemed to settle over everything in the room; making everypony much more awkwardly aware of themselves than usual. This silence, however, was broken by Nova Burst, simply because he was not somepony to keep a punchline to himself any longer than he had to. "So...anypony wanna tell me what the _buck_ just happened?"

"It was a teleportation spell," Mirror said back, quickly resuming her wisely impatient manor. "Surely you would have recognized-"

"THAT'S NOT WHAT THE HAY I MEANT!" Nova exploded.

Mirrorrim seemed unfazed by Nova's direct outburst. "Well, obviously, Nightmare Moon has returned," she said. Blaze admired how Mirror accepted these facts with such a calculatingly logical approach, and was able to voice such things without preamble. Where as Blaze was afraid to open his mouth due to immediate fear of vomiting. "And we six have been gifted the most powerful of all magics to stop her once again."

"All tha good tha most powerful of magics did us," Ivy Leagues said. "Now why in tha world didn' the elements work on Nightmare Moon?"

There was another silence, this one seemingly longer than the first, punctuated only by the soft clip-clop of Mirror's hooves as she paced the floor, apparently in deep thought. It was a near miracle that she was able to walk about at all, for Mirrorrim's home was stacked from top to bottom; from wall to wall; from floor to ceiling; with books. Books, books, books. She had since ran out of room on her seemingly innumerable bookshelves, and as a result, books littered the floor in an apparent organized chaos. Mirror weaved between various volumes and tomes, carving a path she had obviously ordained and clearly memorized. The group knew better than to disturb her when in deep concentration like this; they simply remained silent, waiting for Mirror's imminent brainwave.

After another lap through her book maze, Mirrorrim rejoined the group and sat slowly on her haunches. "I have a theory," she said simply. The group waited for her to continue. "I believe that the reason the elements have no effect on Nightmare Moon, is because she is no longer the same Nightmare moon from a thousand years ago."

"Uh, beg pardon," Ivy said. "But last I checked, there was only _one _pitch-black pony hay-bent on covering tha world in eternal night time. Now 'less she has sister...not Celestia I mean of course..."

"What I mean _is_," Mirror spoke, clearly finding Ivy's retort lacking. "That something about her has changed."

"Something like what?" Fairweather said.

"Something either in her conscious, or her genetics," Mirror said to the group. "While the elements are indeed the most powerful magic ever devised by pony kind, it is still only magic. Given that Nightmare Moon has been vanquished by the elements on two separate occasions, she would have by now had the time to perfect a counter spell, or develop an immunity."

"An immunity?" Summer Dusk squeaked. She cast her eyes down toward her necklace. The jewel there set inside the gold seemed to resemble a balloon. "But the story book said that there's nothing stronger than the Elements of Harmony..."

Each pony in the room looked more closely at their elements now. Ivy Leagues' necklace resembled an apple; Fairweather's was in the shape of a butterfly; Nova Burst's was set like a bolt of lightning; Summer Blaze's was hewn in the shape of a diamond; but the jewel on Mirrorrim's tiara was much more abstract in appearance, akin to something like a twinkling star.

After this introspective, Mirror continued her theory; "Given that Nightmare Moon now seems impervious to the elements as they are now, it is apparent that we ourselves must make a change."

"And that change would be..." Blaze said hesitantly.

"Changing the polarity of the elements," Mirror said simply.

Her statement was met with a silence longer than any that came before it. "So you're suggesting..." Fairweather ventured slowly. "That we change the elements entirely?"

"Yes," said Mirror.

"Is that even possible?"

Mirror took just a small moment before offering her reply, which was a cautiously confident, "It might be."

"_Might_ be?!" Nova snapped. "We don't have time to take chances on something that _might _work!"

"Nova, please," Fairweather said softly. "Isn't any chance we may have better than none at all? We need to put our heads together and think; we won't be able to do this without each other." She cast Mirror a looked that bade her to continue her speech.

Mirrorrim began to pace again with an intellectual restlessness. "There's a legend that has been told since the days before even Equestria was born. It tells of two powerful alicorn rulers, both presiding over provinces on opposite sides of the world. It is said that both alicorn rulers are each in possession of one half of the knowledge used to create the Elements of Harmony."

"So these two alicorns created the elements?" Blaze asked.

"Yes," Mirror replied. "One alicorn contributed three elements, and the second provided the other three."

"Good golly," Ivy snorted. "Jus' how the heck do ya know all a this, Mirror?"

"Because apparently, I'm the only pony who reads anymore," Mirror said. She cast her horn aglow, and from another room entirely, floated a thick leather-bound book. "It's all right here in my copy of "_Mysterious Mysteries and Mythical Myths_." She magically rifled through the pages until she found her selection. She lay the book flat on the floor and the ponies gathered around it. "See here? There are two alicorns pictured. The first, Princess Fimbulvetr, ruler of Saba at the winters' edge. Second is Valentinian, also known as the stallion of steel; ruler of the empire of the white mountains. Together they contributed three elements of their choosing and combined them to create the Elements of Harmony."

Nova let out an awed whistle. "They must have been some powerful ponies."

Blaze leaned into the book for a closer look. He was hoping for a detailed depiction of what these ponies actually looked like, but being as Mirror said; this book and these ponies being in existence since before the days of Equestria; both ponies were rather crudely pictured; rough sketches drawn from whatever the ancient ponies at the time could get their hooves on. They did very little to capture any detail the powerful alicorns may have had. And that's when a thought occurred to Blaze, "Wait a second. If these ponies were alive before Equestria, would they even be _alive_ today?"

There was a murmur of assent amongst the group. "Well, they are alicorns," Mirror said. "Perhaps, like Luna and Celestia, they are immortal."

"Princess Twilight and Mi Amore Cadenza were alicorns; they did not live forever," Fairweather said. "Eternal life isn't gifted through ascension, I think you have to be born with it."

This seemed to even give Mirror pause, from which she recovered quickly. "At any rate, this is still our only lead. If the ponies who created the elements are no longer alive, maybe their knowledge still is; we just have to find it."

"_That_ sounds simple," Blaze said, driving home his sarcasm. "So where do these two alicorns live anyway?"

"Well, as I said, they both existed on opposite sides of the world." Mirror paused slightly before stating something she seemed unwilling to speak. "_Which_ sides of the world are never specified..."

"So let me get this strait," Nova hovered near the ceiling, his wings beating out of frustration. "All we have to do, is travel to some distant, undisclosed places on the planet that existed practically before time, which, might I add, we have only a fifty percent chance of guessing right their locations the first time; and then persuade a couple of alicorns, who are in all possibility long dead, to somehow change the Elements of Harmony?"

As though she could sense Nova's impending and unpleasant retort, Mirrorrim took a moment before simply saying, "Yes."

"_HAVE YOU LOST YOUR BUCKING MIND?!"_

"Nova, chill!" Summer Blaze said fiercely. Summer Dusk had taken refuge between her brother's fore legs, frightened by Nova's outburst. "You're scaring Dusk." He cast a long look into Mirrorrim's silver eyes, he saw her determination alive inside them. "I agree with Mirror," he said. "This is the only lead we have. It's a long shot-"

"A _real_ long shot," Nova interjected.

"But it's the only shot we have!" Blaze shot back. He looked to Mirror again. "So, what would be the best method for traveling to somewhere that may not exist? I don't suppose you could teleport?" he said wryly.

"By sea," Mirror said, ignoring Blaze's dig.

"By sea..." Fairweather mused. "You don't suppose we could take the _Ponyvillian_?"

"Of course we can," Mirror said. "That is I arrived here in Ponyville in the the first place."

"I could probably convince my uncle Fairwind to let us use it. Of course I'd have to tell him what we plan on using it for..."

"That should go over well," Nova huffed.

The conversation was interrupted by a sudden rabble of voices that floated through the window. They sounded just vaguely alarmed. No doubt wondering why the sun still wasn't up, and why a contingent of Canterlot messengers had suddenly appeared in the town square. They were all, unfortunately, about to receive a piece of devastating news. This thought apparently occurred to Summer Dusk, who sprung from underneath Summer Blaze and said, "Oh, no!" Why didn't we think to warn anypony about Nightmare Moon coming back?"

Mirror gave a logical answer; "It was actually better for us to remain silent about such a thing. Running down the streets screaming of Nightmare Moon's return would have incited mass panic and hysteria."

"So would Nightmare Moon suddenly popping up in the middle of Ponyville," Blaze countered. "Which I'm surprised she hasn't done yet..."

"She's more than likely keeping a low profile for now," Mirror said back. "Once the masses know of her return is when she'll probably reveal herself. Not that it matters when she appears, for who can stand against her but us?"

"Good point," Blaze said. "We need to set out sooner rather than later. Nightmare Moon doesn't know what we're planning, so we have to take action."

Everypony's head swiveled to the night blackened window as screams of dread pierced the air. Apparently the Canterlot messengers had delivered the news.

Ivy Leagues stamped his hoof. "Well, we're not gunna make a journey like this wit out supplies. Everypony head on home and gather what ya can carry on yer backs; food; fresh water; and some spare clothing."

The group nodded in silent agreement. While Mirrorrim disappeared to her bedroom, the rest of the ponies headed out into the night, to gather supplies for their impending journey.

...

Back home, Summer Blaze had packed two saddle bags and three separate rucksacks with everything they thought they would need for a journey of this magnitude. While packing, Blaze noticed Dusk poking about her belongings rather halfheartedly. She had her back resolutely turned towards him and had said not a single word since they left Mirror's house. As it happened, Dusk did not want to let her big brother see her crying, and so had adopted what she thought was studiously detached silence. However, it was this same silence that caused Blaze to notice her troubles.

"Dusk..." Blaze said softly. "I know this seems overwhelming and unfair, heck, goodness knows I'm in shock too. But-"

Dusk had finally turned to face her brother, silent tears of anguish and a strange defiance rolling down her face. "I'm not overwhelmed about leaving..." she started. "If we really are the Elements of Harmony, then we have to go; I _want_ to go. It's just..." Blaze stayed silent, knowing she needed time to continue. "...Princess Celestia. Is she really...really..."

Blaze knew she couldn't bring herself to say 'dead', he didn't want to believe it either. Being banished to the moon was one thing; Blaze had actually heard legends of an ancient lunar kingdom on the moon, so surviving there was indeed possible (even if Blaze couldn't fathom how). But being banished to the sun...even Celestia had no hope of surviving such a thing. The were no kingdoms there. _Nothing_ could live on the sun.

Blaze wanted to comfort his sister more than anything. But coddling her and sugar-coating the dismal facts that stared them all too plainly in the face was not the way to go about it. And yet he did not want to be forcibly and shockingly blunt either. But he was spared of having to prepare such a response by Dusk coming to her own resolution. "If Celestia really is...gone." she was still careful about using the word dead. "Then we don't really have a way around this, do we? She would want; _expect _us to carry on in her place. Who else is going to stop Nightmare Moon? We're the only ones who can do it!"

Blaze was absolutely awed by Dusk's acceptance and determination in the light of their situation. He could not have been any prouder of his little sister.

"And besides," Dusk went on, a rather emotionally unwarranted grin stealing over her face. "Defeating Nightmare Moon means we can get Luna back. And I know how much _you_ would want Luna back."

Blaze's flare of brotherly pride was quickly replaced with an embarrassed wonderment of Dusk's observational capabilities. "Well, o-of course I want Luna back!" He sputtered. "We all do. She is our princess after all."

"Blaze, I was poking you in the belly for three minutes and you didn't do so much as blink; what with you staring at Luna and all-"

"-I think we've got all we can carry!" Blaze exclaimed, hastily focusing his magic and levitating their gear. "We should head down to the dock and see how the others are coming along, no?" Blaze beat a hasty retreat out the door and came to a dead stop.

It was now common knowledge in Ponyville that Nightmare Moon had indeed returned. Ponies were scattered about all over the town; some staring, as though unseeing, up at the moon that now permeated the sky; others galloped about pointlessly, and some were packing their wagons with all of their personal belongings. If they thought that by leaving Ponyville, they could somehow leave this eternal darkness behind, they were sadly and desperately mistaken. The force of Canterlot guards were doing their best to regain order amongst the citizens, but it was a losing battle.

Blaze was, at this point, grateful for the crowd of ponies fleeing from the Canterlot gardens upon Nightmare Moon's return. They had not seen him and his friends gifted with the Elements of Harmony, and thus they largely ignored him and his sister as they milled about miserably, failing to realize that these ponies held the fate of the world in their hooves. "Let's get moving, Dusk," Blaze told her.

The two ponies made their way through town towards the very south end of Ponyville, where the dock was located. Many ponies ambled past them ;all their earthly possessions in tow as they bade escape from the town. Though Blaze knew that he was now responsible for once again bringing them peace of mind, he had not the heart to stop them. After several minutes in which Blaze completely forgot his hooves were even carrying him, he and Dusk had arrived at the Ponyville docks. For all the ponies fleeing Ponyville, the place was strangely empty; perhaps nopony thought that sea was the best way to travel in these times.

Blaze met the others as they put the last touches on their packing. The cargo hold of the _Ponyvillian_ was laden with more than enough food, blankets, an fresh water to last several weeks. The prospects of their sea-faring survival was furthered again by the assurance of Mirrorrim having learned a spell to convert seawater into fresh water. The _Ponyvillian_ itself was a fine vessel, built more for recreational cruises rather than trans-oceanic voyages, but to all ends, it would certainly get the ponies where they needed to go...wherever it was.

Fairweather gave a swift rear kick that snapped the cargo hold closed with a metallic thud. With her being a pegasus born on earth, Fairweather had quite a deceptive physical strength at her disposal, having been raised by her earth pony uncle, Fairwind, who, most fortunately, was not present at the moment. "I wonder what he'll say when he finds his ship gone," Fairweather mused.

"We can worry about that later," Mirror said. Her tone of complete directed focus seemed to stiffen the air between the group. It was here, and only here, did Blaze truly realize for the first time what undertaking this journey really meant.

He knew the first truth was that he was not going to be seeing his home again for a very long time, if at all. In all probability, he and any number of his friends could end up dead. None of the ponies knew in the slightest what could be waiting for them out there beyond the sea. Their pursuit of the element-changing knowledge left behind by two ancient alicorns would take them further to the edges of the world than anypony has gone before.

And there may be no coming back.

Summer Blaze instinctively nuzzled his sisters' neck. The six ponies stood in a tense circle, each contemplating what this life-and-death mission would entail; their silent preparation perforated by the clip-clops of wandering pony hooves and the occasional cry of despair. None of them seem to notice the group of ponies standing at the docks, ready to take not only their own lives, but the lives of every being in the world into their hooves.

The silence was broken by Nova Burst, who stamped a hoof and said, "I don't know about you guys, but I'm getting bored just standing here."

Mirrorrim nodded her silver head. "Let us go," she said.

The group boarded the _Ponyvillian _and Fairweather shut the gangway. They settled themselves on the deck as Mirrorrim took her position on the very bow of the ship. It was agreed upon that they would alternate between using the ship's engines and Mirror's amazing come-to-life spell to power the ship; this providing not only a forward vigil, but also less strain on the delicate machinery for the unfathomably long trip.

With a spark from her horn, the _Ponyvillian_ glided into motion. And the six ponies were off to worlds unknown.

*End of chapter four*

_..._

**A/N:**

__**Back again with another chapter. Pretty quick this time around too, eh? Not much happening in life worth discussing, so onto the business; **

** I like to thank those who took the time to give my story a read, and a bigger thanks to fanfiction user **_**Sweeti3Belle**_** for the fav, the story follow, and the author follow, thanks a bunch, **_**Sweeti3Belle**_**!**

**And if I can make a recommendation; if you're looking for a great pony fic (other than mine of course), you guys should totally check out **_**Diary of an Aspiring Tyrant**_** by fanfiction user **_**SugarPesticide. **_**Her writing is beyond awesome! **

__**And on another note (I know this A/N is dragging on forever, but bare with me!) I've decided to take my MTG fic **_**The Angel and the Saint, **_**off of termination status. The damn story is too popular and too far along to leave it in limbo like that. I've gotten several requests (and angry demands) to finish the damn thing**_**. **_**So in all likelihood, my next update will more than likely be to that particular story (but not guaranteed). Now I just have to get my MTG wheels turnin' again...**

** Anyway, sorry for keeping you. I'll see you guys when I see you.**

** -B.D. Skunkworks**

P.S:

**Remember guys, fight back against SOPA! Otherwise the simple and harmless pass time of writing fanfiction will be illegal. Don't give up your rights, fight the machine!**


	5. Chapter 5- Into the Black

*Chapter 5*

Into the Black

They were away. Their itinerary, as it was agreed upon beforehoof, was due north. Of course, this was a complete guess; there was just absolutely no possible way to ascertain the whereabouts of these fairy tale provinces. On the plus side, if their northern headway was indeed wrong, then it was a simple matter of adjusting course to the east or west; however long it took to get there was another question altogether.

Mirrorrim stood on the bow of the ship, her hooves firmly planted in a full body concentration. Fairweather minded the compass, to make sure they did not stray off course. The other four ponies stood about the deck, watching the endless progress of the night time sky.

Summer Blaze rather enjoyed the feeling of the salt-heavy wind playing through his mane, this enjoyment, however, was perforated by the forlornly obvious gravity of this particular journey. Could it really have been just a mere six hours ago that he and his friends were present at the Summer Sun Celebration? The rush of the past day's imagery flooded Blaze's mind; The sun rising; Nightmare Moon returning to power; Celestia being banished to the sun; and he and his friends being gifted the Elements of Harmony. And then for some reason, though not an entirely unwanted one, the image of Princess Luna drifted into his mind.

Her image brought the familiar rush of startled heat to Blaze's body. Those few moments when he was looking into Luna's eyes...he would give anything to have those moments again. His contentment at this memory soon turned to anger at the thought of Nightmare Moon. Whisking Luna away and trapping her inside her own bodily nightmare. But then Blaze remembered that strange instance where Nightmare seemed to be talking to herself; he knew that Luna was indeed still inside the Nightmare, and was consciously resisting her. If Blaze could free her from the Nightmare...to be the first one Luna sees upon her liberation. Maybe...in a rush of gratitude...she would...

"Earth ta Blaze, hellooo..."

Blaze snapped out of his reverie to find Ivy Leagues beside him. "Hey Ivy," he said dreamily.

"Now, I aint gonna pretend our situation here doesn't warrant the occasional pensive," Ivy said. "But don't y'all reckon it's best to stay alert when we can?"

"Yeah, you're right," Blaze said back. He cast a look about the deck, "Where's Dusk?"

"Jus' tucked 'er in down below; she nodded off a few minutes ago." Ivy looked thoughtful for a moment. "'Mazin' innit? How that little filly can still do somthin' like sleep. Heck, I'd be surprised if anypony 'round here got any shuteye. Then a course, there's the rest of Equestria. Wit this here eternal night and what, ponies' sleep cycles are gonna be shot ta seed. Not ta mention wit no sunlight, tha plant life is gonna start dyin' off..."

Blaze never knew why he didn't think about any of these things. He guessed it just took a rational, farm-working earth pony to see the long term earthbound detriment of the situation. "Where are you from, Ivy?" The question suddenly seemed important to ask.

Ivy Leagues raised an eyebrow. "You wanna know that now?"

"Never occurred to me 'till just now," Blaze said honestly.

"Well, I was born in Neigh-vada," Ivy said, lifting a fore hoof proudly. "But 'round the time I was old enough ta start takin' care of myself, I got this letter from Princess Celestia..."

Blaze knew what he meant. He and Summer Dusk had received those very same letters. Could it be that the six of them had all gotten those letters? Could Celestia have known that they were the next bearers of the elements? And even if she did, _how _could she have known? The mysteries surrounding the sisters and their legendary status was deeper than ever.

Ivy and Blaze crossed the deck to join the two mares at the bow. Mirror was focused, with her eyes strait ahead as her spell propelled the vessel onwards. Fairweather looked up from the compass and greeted the stallions. "Nothing much going on up here," she said.

"Where's Nova?" Blaze asked.

"In the crow's nest," Fairweather said, pointing a hoof upwards. Sure enough, Nova Burst was there, his eyes cast dutifully forward. He caught Blaze's wave and fluttered down to the deck.

"Me and Ivy were just discussing our situation," Blaze them. "And I never really asked where any of you guys are from."

"Well, I was born in Ponyville," Fairweather said. "Nothing too exciting about that."

Blaze turned to Mirrorrim, "How about you, Mirror?"

For a moment, she didn't answer. She looked to be in a deep focus, which was understandable seeing as she was currently powering the ship. But Blaze noticed her lips were moving, and upon focusing his hearing, he discovered she was singing very softly:

_"...Into the black_

_ where the night never ends_

_ the darkness cuts_

_ into your brain..."_

She seemed to realize that Blaze was staring at her as she turned to meet his gaze. "Yes?" she said. Blaze chose not not to press her about the song she was singing, but rather her birth place. "British Colt-lumbia," Mirror responded. "And please, do not disrupt my focus for such queries again."

"So how about you, Nova? Where were you born?" Blaze asked him.

"West Fillydelphia," he responded. "But I really don't see why..." Nova had stopped speaking entirely as his attention seemed to be taken by something on the horizon. "What is that?"

The others followed his gaze and soon saw what he meant. Silhouetted against the pearly moon were four black shapes. Blaze thought them to be pegasus ponies. But as they drew closer, he saw that these were no pegasi. Their bodies were as black as the night on which they approached; they had gleaming white fangs and menacing red eyes, and worst of all, they had scaly wings akin more to a bat's than the feathers of a pegasus. Blaze recognized them at once, "It's the lunar guard!" he shouted.

"The what?" Nova said.

"Princess Luna's personal bodyguards!" Blaze shouted. "I think they're being controlled by Nightmare Moon!"

Mirrorrim had cut off her spell as the lunar guard drew closer. "Fairweather, get below and start up the engines. It's imperative we keep the ship moving. We'll do what we can to hold them off."

"Okay. I'll be right back up." Fairweather dashed below deck to start the _Ponyvillian's_ engines while the rest of the ponies steeled themselves for the encounter.

The lunar guard finally drew close enough to mount an assault, and with terrible blood-curdling cries, they dove for the ship. "Blaze, ready your concussion spells!" Mirror said.

Blaze was quite familiar with concussion spells. He used them often in his line of work; knocking down the remains of old buildings to clear a foundation for new ones. Blaze Mirror, Nova, and Ivy stood ready as the dark creatures drew closer, their fangs bared for combat. "Now!" Mirror cried.

Blaze and Mirror fired off concussion spells at the approaching creatures, who swiftly dodged them and spread their formation. Nova took flight and flew head on into the nearest one. Ivy caught caught one of the guards with a jumping rear kick and sent it sailing into the mast. It managed to shake off the blow and leap for Blaze. Blaze fired a spell and caught it right in the chest, propelling it right over the edge of the ship.

The _Ponyvillian's _engines gurgled to life as the creatures redoubled for another attack. Blaze and Mirror fired off spells at random, trying to knock them out of the sky. As one of the dark bat-wing ponies flew round his head, Blaze turned and noticed Fairweather and Summer Dusk galloping across the deck towards them. "What's happening?" Dusk whimpered.

"It's all right," Blaze assured her. "Just stay close to me. I really wish you would have stayed below deck."

"No we need her," Mirror said. "We can't wield the elements without her."

"Just what I was thinking," Fairweather chimed.

"Everypony gather up," ordered Mirrorrim. The six ponies took their formation as the lunar guard swooped down for a final attack run. The six ponies focused their wills through their enchanted necklaces. Soon, the power of friendship manifested itself in the beautifully intense rainbow that they had come know from the elements. The rainbow expanded greatly, and soon formed a sphere that enveloped the entire ship. The bat-wing ponies shrieked and screamed at it's lustrous light-giving aura. They turned back as quickly as they could and flew off in defeat.

"Yee Haw! We did it!" Ivy Leagues pranced in their triumph along with the others.

"The elements really came through for us, didn't they?" Dusk said.

"They sure did!" Blaze said happily. "If Mirror hadn't..." he turned to look at her and saw something alarming. Mirrorrim was swaying on the spot, it was she could do to try to remain upright, which she didn't manage for much longer. No sooner than Blaze moved to her side did she topple over, right onto his back. "Magic drain," Blaze aid knowingly. "It's no surprise seeing as she was powering the ship and helped us fight the lunar guard. Don't worry, she'll be just fine," he assured the others. "I'll take her down below and-"

"We have a problem," Fairweather said to the group. They looked to her, fearing the worst. "The compass..." on the small podium where the compass dish once sat, was nothing but a few splinters of shattered wood. The compass had been destroyed. "We must have lost it in the fray," she said.

"So, what do we do now?" Nova said.

Fairweather thought for a moment. "We can continue with our current baring, assuming that is we haven't been knocked off course, and try to orient ourselves from there." She revealed a telescope which she tucked under her folded wing. And unless I'm mistaken, we're fairly close to land."

"You don't think it could be..." Ivy ventured.

"Saba or the white mountains? I really doubt it," Fairweather said. "I'm not sure we'd even recognize those places if we did see them."

"How much longer until we reach land," Blaze said. He was honestly grateful for Fairweather's oceanic insight. He was sure that no other pegasus knew a thing about sailing.

"I'd say a good four hours until landfall. Plenty of time for Mirror to regain her strength and for us to grab some food."

The group nodded assent. There was obviously no telling what awaited them on that island. Only time would tell.

*End of chapter 5*

...

**A/N:**

** Update! *Insert Fluttershy "yay" here* my oder just came in from gaming ETC, so I finally put the finishing touches on my pokemon deck! It's just a first pass, it's far from perfect, but I can't wait for Oct. 26.**

**And of course November 23, the MLP season 4 premier! (Of course I don't have cable, seeing as I chose internet instead, but It'll be on youtube in due time.) So anyway, thanks to those who gave my story a read, I'll update again soon.**

** -B.D. Skunkworks**


	6. Chapter 6- The Winter's Edge

*Chapter 6*

The winter's edge

**_Through the ice and snow in the land unknown_

_my heart is calling out for you._

_Through the ice and snow a little light shall glow_

_it's the love I feel for you.**_

Olympos Mons- _Through the ice and snow_

Summer Blaze gently lowered Mirrorrim onto the bed in one of the _Ponyvillian's _cabins. The poor thing had exhausted herself not only powering the ship's engines with her superb come-to-life spell, but she had also helped drive off Nightmare Moon's lunar guard. Blaze pulled the thick blanket up to Mirror's chin and then, as was so ingrained his brotherly instinct and ritual of putting Dusk to bed, found himself halfway through the motion of kissing her forehead. He stopped himself knowing that Mirror would probably murder him with her bare hooves if she found Blaze kissing her anywhere. Blaze clicked off the light and left the room, gently closing the door behind him.

He trotted down the corridor and entered the dining hall. The dozens of tables and chairs that usually occupied the space were pushed against the walls, save for one, which currently held Summer Dusk and Fairweather.

Summer Dusk had fallen asleep halfway through her meal of oats and water, and now lay with her head on the table. Fairweather had draped one of her wings over the filly like a feathery blanket. "I know she may be uncomfortable, but I didn't want to move her. She needs all the sleep she can get, poor little thing," Fairweather said to Blaze.

"Thanks alot. I'll take her to bed," Blaze said back. He ignited his horn and Dusk was lifted gently into the air as he and Fairweather left the dining hall. Blaze settled her into the cabin directly across the hall from the dining hall. As he tucked her in, Blaze himself was overcome with a bout of drowsiness that was as sudden as it was undeniable. He carefully settled himself next to Dusk as was soon fast asleep.

He was in Canterlot. He was in the royal court along with hundreds of other ponies staring up at him. Blaze was dressed in a handsome suit of royal blue and he held before him a small cushion bearing a ring. He just now remembered that he was to be married to Luna. Celestia herself was at his side as she prepared to preside over the ceremony. The grand double doors at the end of the hall opened and Luna burst through them. It was plainly obvious that she was running for her life from some unseen assailant. She stopped at the foot of altar and screamed, "Blaze! Please help me!"

Despite her desperate call for help, Blaze seemed unable to move a single hoof. Blaze looked to Celestia for help but found that she had vanished from the spot. And then, from the same doors from which Luna entered, Nightmare Moon appeared. With a blast of dark magic, she vaporized the dozens of pony spectators gathered in the court. "Blaze, please, do something!" But there was nothing he could do. He could not move, he could not speak. The pony he loved was in dire jeopardy and he was powerless to help her.

Nightmare Moon opened her great dark maw, and like some otherworldly black hole, Luna was pulled inside, down into the black depths and lost to Blaze forever...

"...Blaze...Blaze, wake up!" Blaze snapped himself awake. Summer Dusk was poking him in the chest in an attempt to rouse him. "Are you alright? You were muttering in your sleep."

"Was I?" Blaze said.

"And then you started tossing and turning and you poked me with your horn," Dusk massaged a spot on her belly where Blaze's horn had evidently poked her.

"Oh, no, I'm so sorry." Blaze rolled off the bed as he tried to recall the details of his dream, or more appropriately it could be seen; his nightmare. He remembered Canterlot, and Princess Celestia. He then remembered Luna and her frenzied gallop through the hall. She called out to him for help, but Blaze could do nothing. Then Nightmare Moon swallowed the whole room into darkness. Was that what Luna was experiencing now? Being trapped in an endless and bottomless void of her own body? But Blaze knew she was in there somewhere. Luna; _his _Luna was alive inside that monstrosity somehow, begging for salvation. And Blaze would see her free, if it's the last thing he did. "I'll go topside and see how Nova and Ivy are doing. You should get back to sleep, Dusk."

"No, I'm alright," Dusk said, hopping from the bed. "I'll go with you!"

Blaze smiled somewhat dourly and let her accompany him onto the deck. The two stallions on deck seemed to not have moved a single inch from where Blaze last saw them; Ivy on the very bow of the ship, and Nova in the crow's nest. "You guy's can knock off if you want, we'll take next watch," Blaze told them.

Nova flew down from his position with a yawn, "Yeah. I was getting just a tad sleepy, ya know?"

Ivy Leagues refused the offer. "Nah, I'm okay. Why don' we make it a threesome? Six eyes is better than four, I reckon." Ivy, who was very much used to long days at work and even longer nights, was not bothered in the least at missing a few hours' sleep.

Nova, who had started towards the cabins below deck, came to a stop when he saw Fairweather trotting along towards them. He was the first to see the look of concern on her face. "Somethin' up, Fair?" he said.

In answer, Fairweather took position on the bow and gave the island they were approaching a long look through her telescope. "Something is off," she said. "We should have made landfall some time ago..."

"You know more about sailing than me, but maybe your foresight was wrong? It could be easy to misjudge the distance in the dead of night," Blaze offered.

"Maybe..." Fairweather mused.

"She's not wrong." The group turned to see Mirrorrim trotting across the deck. She seemed in full health, the few hours of sleep she managed apparently have rejuvenated her. With no preamble, she took the telescope from Fairweather and cast a long look at the distant island. Then she said suddenly, "Stop the ship."

"What?" Fairweather said.

"I said stop the ship," Mirror repeated forcefully.

"Okay...so how do you plan on reaching the island if we stop now?" Nova asked her. "Do you think it's just going to come to us?"

Mirrorrim looked at Nova as though she pitied his lack of perception in the issue. "In case none of you have noticed, we are wasting our time; that island does not exist."

There was a collective cry of "What?" from the others.

Mirror let out a huff of breath, as though she were trying to maintain her patience. "If one would look close enough, they would see how the image shimmers just slightly around the edges." The group cast a long look at the ethereal island in the distance. And now that he looked this closely at it, Blaze could definitely see a slight wavering ripple around the perimeter of the image.

"So what do ya think it is, Mirror?" Ivy asked her.

"No doubt an illusion created by Nightmare Moon," was her answer.

"But how could she...she doesn't...she _couldn't_ possibly know what we're planning," Fairweather sputtered.

"Of course she knows," Mirror said sternly. "Nightmare's celestial body is the moon, and all the stars are her eyes; there is nothing that escapes her notice now. Have you forgotten that we're dealing with the princess of the night?" There was a somewhat abashed silence that followed this speech. "And the more time we spend chasing one of her illusions, the further we drift off course!" She said this pointedly to Fairweather, who hastened below to cut off the ship's power.

"I really hate to say this, but given how long we've been sailing towards that mirage...do we even know which direction we're headed anymore?" Blaze said tentatively.

The silence that followed was punctuated by the _Ponyvillian_ giving a great shudder and gliding to a stop amongst the waves. Fairweather had cut off the power. Nopony seemed able to speak at the moment, until Summer Dusk spoke up. "Mirrorrim, you can read the stars, can't you? Wouldn't that tell us which way to go?"

Mirror shook her head. "This night time is not natural. With no daylight forthcoming, the stars do not move, thus I cannot properly read their positions." The dismayed silence that followed seemed about as still as the night that the ponies were now lost in. At length Mirror spoke again, struck by a sudden inspiration. "There may be something..." she said this more to herself than anypony around her. She cast her horn aglow and began to amble about the deck.

She went to the bow first, and no sooner than she reached the tip she doubled back, slowly walking her way towards the group of ponies, who stepped out of her way. They knew better than to disturb Mirrorrim during one of her moments; the five of them simply remained silent during the whole event, knowing she was on the verge of an epiphany. She came to a stop on the port side with a somewhat uneasy look in her face. "That's strange..."

Seeing it was now safe to speak to her again, Blaze asked, "What's strange?"

Mirror took just a small moment, perhaps of contemplation, before answering. "I'm picking up on a phenomenal drop in temperature in this direction," she said.

"What do you think it means?" Nova asked.

"I think it _means,_" Mirror put an exasperated emphasis on the word, "That considering that one of our destinations lies beyond an ice shelf, we should no doubt head this way."

"You really think it's..." Blaze's sentence trailed away. Everypony knew what he was thinking, but hardly dared to believe it.

"If that is indeed the case, we've quite a while before we reach it," Mirror said. "I recommend everypony getting some sleep and a meal while I bring us there."

Everypony agreed, except for Fairweather, who volunteered to take watch alongside Mirrorrim. The rest of the ponies trotted below deck for some much needed rest.

...

Blaze didn't know how long he slept; two hours, maybe three. But it seemed like no more than an instant later he was awake. Thankfully, his dreams were not haunted by nightmares of him being separated from Luna, this fact of course lead him to thinking obsessively of nothing but the beautiful night princess. Just where as Nightmare Moon now? What was she doing? She had undoubtedly sent her Lunar guard to waylay them on their journey across the sea, and conjured an illusion to lead them astray. What else whould she come up with to stop them? Blaze's heart seemed to twist in his chest, knowing that his Luna was somewhere inside of that monster, being used against her own volition in an evil campaign to rule Equestria.

Blaze rolled from the bed, which he was surprised to find was empty, and left the room. He found Dusk in the corridor, "Hwi, Bwaze," she said through a mouthful of carrot. She swallowed and said, "Everypony is already out on deck."

The two made their way up to the deck and Blaze was nearly stopped in his tracks by an intense blast of frozen air. "Wow, that's brisk!" he said, as he joined the others on the bow.

Mirror was powering the ship with her come-to-life spell as the others gathered around her, their eyes all cast forward. "Mirror reckons we outta be there any minute now," said Ivy Leagues.

And then at once there was a cry from Fairweather, "Stop the ship!"

Everypony turned to her, including Mirrorrim. "And why would we stop now?" she asked.

Fairweather peered intently through her telescope. "We're less than half a mile off now," she said. "If we really are approaching an ice shelf, no doubt the immediate sea around it will be frozen solid; the _Ponyvillian_ is not an ice breaker; if we continue, we risk severe damage to the ship"

Mirror hastily cut off her spell.

"So what do you suggest, Fair? That we _swim_ the rest of the way?" Blaze said.

"Forget swimming," Nova Burst said. "How the hay are we going to keep warm in these conditions?"

"Fear not," Mirrorrim said. "I know a spell that will preserve our body heat and shield us from the cold." She cast an intense look out towards the mass of ice that was there destination. "And as for crossing this gap, I can get us there, just gather around me."

The ponies took their cue and huddled around Mirrorrim. "Are you sure?" Blaze asked her. "I thought you said you can only teleport to places you've already-" His words were lost in the sudden rush of color and frozen wind. And an instant later, his hooves came to rest on soft-packed snow. "-Been..." he took a few dazed steps and tried to clear his head. "Warn me next time your gonna do that."

"Mirror, can you cast that spell now? I'm really cold." Summer Dusk was shivering all over her tiny body. The cold had intensified now that they were on the ice field.

Mirrorrim focused her magic and the ponies were enveloped in a faint orange glow that instantly spread warmth through their bodies. "Everypony better now?" she asked.

"Snugger than a bug inna rug!" Ivy Leagues said.

"Alright then, let's get moving."

The six ponies set off into the snow covered expanse. Blaze marveled at the fact that he could no longer even feel the cold at all. A warm tingling had replaced his violent shivering and the snow seemed to simply melt under his hooves. How long they continued like this none of them can say; it was long enough, however, for Dusk to grow leg weary, after which Blaze scooped her up to ride on his back.

Just as Blaze was wondering if they were making any real progress at all, a snowstorm seemingly erupted out of nowhere, conjuring as fast as Blaze had had the thought. "What's happening?" Nova Burst said. The sudden onset of the blizzard had drastically reduced the ponies' visibility.

"Where in the world did this blizzard come from? Fairweather asked.

"I do not believe this storm is a natural occurrence," Mirrorrim said.

"Nightmare Moon?" Blaze asked.

"I'm not sure..."

Just then, Dusk spoke out, "What is that?" She was looking in the direction from which they came. The group turned in the direction of her pointed hoof and let out a collective gasp. Approaching from the horizon, clearly visible even against the blizzard, was a group of three creatures that none of them could recognize. Blaze thought they looked like ponies, but they appeared much crueler, much more sinister than any pony he's ever seen before. And unless he was mistaken, he swore he could see right through them

"They're Windigos!" Mirror cried. "Malicious spirits of winter!"

"What do we do!?" Dusk whined.

The answer seemed to come as soon as the question was posed. (*)From a source that none of them could identify, came an ear-piercing wail. Blaze immediately likened it to some kind of war cry. It's intimidating pitch seemed to penetrate his brain and cause him to erupt in goosebumps that had nothing to do with the cold(*). The oncoming Windigos were startled by the incredible sound and came to a frightened halt. And suddenly, the storm was broken, visibility was returned to normal and the source of the wail was relieved.

From atop a tall snow drift sprung a white figure. Even from here Blaze could see that it was a pony; a unicorn. The unicorn charged at the Windigos with no fear whatsoever, with their horn alight with fierce magic. The startled winter spirits barely avoided the unicorn's charge as they scattered. The unicorn intensified the magic in their horn, soon it seemed to form an immense glowing blade of magic, and with a great sweep of this magic blade, the Windigos were instantly cut down.

The unicorn pony maintained their position a good fifty yards from where the group of astonished ponies stood. "That was amazing!" Nova said. "Don't you think we outta thank them instead of standing here like lumps?"

"Well, Nova," Mirror said "here's your chance."

The unicorn was approaching their position, and before Blaze could even phrase out a thank you, the unicorn was upon them. Blaze recognized the unicorn as a stallion, although he was no doubt an adult, he was just slightly smaller than most stallions his age, including Blaze himself. Blaze was having a hard time looking directly at him, as his coat was such a brilliant reflective white, he made the snow around him look nearly gray. His hair was also pure white; his mane looked as though it were formed of white ice, the way it stuck up sharply from his head. His tail was much the same, Blaze was sure the hairs were sharp enough to puncture his skin. And his cutie mark was an ice-blue snowflake pierced by a cross of ice icicles

But most striking about him were his eyes. They were an intense, and electric glacial blue, not unlike two chips of cold ice. And when at last he spoke, it was with a voice of somewhat derisive authority. "I would ask you what you foals are doing out here, but I already know." He looked at each of them in turn. When his eyes fell on Mirrorrim, Blaze could see a distinct, if only temporary, softening of his gaze. "Oh, by the way, you're welcome," he said.

"Oh...uh, thank you..." Blaze trailed off, slightly intimidated, and also unsure of what this ponies' name was. he didn't seem in a rush to reveal it either.

"Had I not been here to drive off the Windigos, you all would have been dead by now."

"Hardly," Mirrorrim spoke up. "It would have simply been a matter of wielding our elements against them. You claim you do know why were here, yet you seemed to overlook who you are talking to." Mirror looked directly into the unicorn's eyes as she spoke. She clearly had not lost her composure in his fierce presence.

The unicorn stared steadily back into Mirror's eyes. It was as though they were sizing each other up, but if Blaze wasn't mistaken, there was something else in their gazes... The unicorn spoke up, "I know all about your elements and I know why you have come here." He still didn't move his eyes from Mirror's. "That said, I can tell you that your destination is not far from here. And while it is my task to guide you there, it is outside of my control or my concern that you arrive safely." He turned around and began trotting through the snow. "If you can't keep up, then don't follow! Of course there's no guarantee that you all won't freeze to death first."

"Unlikely," Mirrorrim spoke again. "With my warming spell in place, we are perfectly equipped for a long trek through the cold. This winter is as but nothing."

The unicorn stopped dead in his tracks. And slowly, he turned to meet Mirrorrim's eyes. "What would you know of the winter's power?" His voice was as cold as the snow that surrounded him. "You merely adopted the cold. I was born in it; _molded_ by it. I didn't know the warmth until I was already a stallion, by then it was nothing to me but blinding!" The group was aghast at the unicorn's speech. Mirrorrim seemed especially captivated. The unicorn smiled a somewhat twistedly triumphant smile. "The winter will betray you because it belongs to _me_." And without another word he turned and began to trot away.

"Wait!" Mirrorrim cried. The unicorn again stopped and turned. "What is your name?" Mirror asked him.

The unicorn looked into her eyes as he said, "My name is Winterbrave."

And he turned to go again. The six ponies followed Winterbrave through the ice and snow.

*End of Chapter 6*

**A/N:**

** Hurray for updates! Firstly, the explanation of the (*) the moment framed by these symbols is something I tried to capture strait from Olympos Mons. If you hadn't noticed by now, the musical inspiration for this fic is Olympos Mons original album, **_**Conquistador**_**. (If you have never heard of these guys, or their two albums, do yourself a favor and look then up) During the song, **_**Through the ice and snow**_**, at exactly the 29 second mark, vocalist Ian Eric Highhill lets loose an epically power metal wail that really sets the tone for the song. I tried for this same sound to escape the mouth of Winterbrave, (whom you've just met), which accounts for the ear-piercing wail the ponies heard. Obviously, this is nigh impossible to pull off with just simple words, unless of course, you are familiar with the song and sound in question. So great is my need for you to know what the hell I'm talking about, here is a link to the song- **** watch?v=uB5H3TyWCG0 **

** Any-who, another recommendation; i you're looking for a great pony fic, check out **_**The Young Prince-**__** s/9589185/1/The-Young-Prince **___**by fanfiction user, **_**blucatcinema.**_** It's quite the touching tale. **

** In conclusion, thanks to those who gave my story a read, I'll upadte again soon.**

** -B.D. Skunkworks **


	7. Chapter 7- A little light shall glow

*Chapter 7*

A little light shall glow

The ponies galloped after Winterbrave through the ice and snow. With Mirrorrim's warming spell in place, it was relatively easy going. The two pegasi flew alongside the wingless ponies as they made their way. All they had to do was keep up with Winterbrave, which was not easy; he moved through the soft snow with no difficulty at all, and he did not even so much as stumble upon the slick ice. But still the ponies plundered on.

After some time, despite running his hardest; his heart beating ferociously, sending warm blood through his body, Summer Blaze couldn't help but notice the beginnings of the winter's cold overtaking his body. He looked around to Mirrorrim, who by no means was an athlete and hence was not used to long runs. She was near the back of the group. Blaze was worried to see her breathing very heavily, her head drooping just slightly as she ran flat out. "I'm fine!" she shouted. "We need to keep up with Winterbrave!" The white pony was beginning to fade into the distance, into the endless winter.

The two pegasi were having trouble making headway against the increasingly blustery winds. In the end, they gave up flight and joined the gallop on the ground. Blaze was suddenly more aware of Dusk's weight on his back than usual. It was then that she whimpered, "Blaze, I'm cold..."

Blaze looked back at Mirror again. There was no doubt that she was becoming fatigued. She could barely maintain the spell she was casting and she was falling slightly behind the others. "Don't worry, Dusk, we're almost there. But Blaze didn't know how true this was. The expanse of white had almost no end in sight, Winterbrave was nearly a speck on the horizon, and he was becoming colder all the time.

"Hey, where's Winterbrave!?" Ivy leagues shouted. The unicorn had completely vanished into the night; he was nowhere to be seen.

"What do we do now?" Fairweather fretted.

"We keep moving!" Nova Burst cried. "I know we're close, we have to be!"

Blaze turned again to check on Mirrorrim only to see something wondrous. While only mere seconds ago he was surrounded by ice and frigid air, Blaze found himself under a wide blue sky in the entrance to what looked like a town market. Blaze marveled at the sight. As the others joined him, they too shared in the miracle surrounding them. "How did we...where are we?"

"We must have done it," Fairweather said. "We made it through the winter's edge!"

"But how is the sun shining here?" Blaze asked.

Nopony had an answer for that phenomenon. And yet the bright yellow sphere burned surely in the sky.

Summer Dusk hopped from her brother's back, all remnants of cold and fatigue seemingly gone. "Where's Mirrorrim?" she said.

The ponies looked about, but Mirror was not amongst them. "Y'all don't think she's still..." Ivy started.

"Oh, Celestia no! She's still in there!" Blaze panicked.

This declaration seemed to trigger the arrival of Winterbrave. From the same fold of non-existence that separated the winter's edge from this place, he appeared with a flash. "Hmph, so you all made it," he said.

"Not all of us," Blaze said in panic. "Our friend is still in there!"

Winterbrave's eyes combed the group and he realized instantly who was missing. The five ponies made to get passed him, but he held up a hoof and said, "Stop!" They looked to Winterbrave in question. "If you foals cross the boundary now you'll have to cross the winter's edge again to get back. I'll get her." And without a backward glance he galloped through the boundary.

...

Mirrorrim was utterly alone. Winterbrave and her friends have long since disappeared into the endless white oblivion. She was too exhausted to even maintain her warming spell; her only shield against the cold. The winter's touch was slowly enveloping her, slowly but surely freezing her muscles into rigid iron.

It was by a sheer miracle of will that she was still on her feet; blindly staggering one hoof in front of the other. Every step was an enormous effort, and she was certain each one would be her last. Her nearly frozen mind swam with images of her friends. Surely they would turn around any second now and realize that she was gone. One hoof in front of the other...one hoof in front of the other...then the image of the white winter pony swam before her eyes. He didn't care about her in the least; he had left her out here in this wasteland to die. It was at this thought that her will power broke and she toppled over onto the frozen tundra.

Her body was sapped of any and all strength. Merely keeping her eyes open was more than she could muster. She was going to die here; she knew that. The image of Winterbrave's face came to her mind's eye now and his last words echoed in her head, _"The winter will betray you because it belongs to me..."_

Suddenly, there was a rush of more of his words, "Hey! You have to get up!" Mirrorrim's range of sight in her dying state was infinitesimal at best, but she thought she could see the image of Winterbrave again. 'Of course,' she thought. 'Death has sent me one last sweet mirage to guide me into his arms...' But the mirage did not vanish. "Please, you have to move, I know you can do it!"

But she couldn't. Her will had been sapped along with her strength. Moving even a single inch was but impossible. "Dammit! You can't give up!" The image of Winterbrave stamped his hoof on the snow. "If you do, you won't even be half the pony that I thought you were." He paused for just a moment. "That I _want_ you to be..."

It was as if an ember had come alight in her chest. A sudden and inexplicable warmth spread through her body that imbued her with a renewed and miraculous strength. She regained her legs as hard-packed snow fell from her body. "Okay, now come this way." Winterbrave walked backwards slowly as Mirrorrim followed him. She kept her eyes locked on his, guided by the sound of his voice and his piercingly intense eyes. "Just a little more," he was saying. "Just a little further..."

And then Mirror found herself surrounded by warmth and light, and most importantly of all, her friends. They descended on her in a joyous group hug.

"Mirror, you made it!"

"We were so worried!"

"For a second we thought..."

They let her go as she looked about the group. "You all had nothing to fear," she said to them. "I would have..." she cast a look to Winterbrave. "I _did_ find my way. All I needed was a push."

Winterbrave and Mirrorrim were staring at each other with the intensity of a moment that only they seemed to share. Fairweather cleared her throat gently,"Guys, maybe we should give them some space..." the group agreed and ambled into the market, leaving Winterbrave and Mirror together.

The fierce glow that Mirror felt in the snow field at Winterbrave's words had yet to fade, and standing here in his presence only served to intensify that glow. "You came back for me," were her first words.

"I had to, it's my job" Winterbrave said back.

Mirror had the feeling he said this in some kind of attempt to maintain his derisive indifference at when they first met. And Mirror responded in kind. "There was no need to make the endeavor so difficult. If such a thing is indeed your task, you simply should have-"

"No," Winterbrave said. "That wouldn't do." He stared deeply into her eyes. No matter how matter-of-fact Mirror tried to remain, her knees couldn't help softening under his ice-blue gaze. "I knew you had the strength in you, and I wanted to see it. I wanted you to succeed by _your_ strength alone." With his eyes boring so deeply into hers, Mirror was sure he was trying to convey his message with more than mere words. And suddenly, without a single shred of her own volition, she found herself leaning into him, her head tilted upwards, a hopeful wildfire burning in her chest.

But she made contact with nothing as she realized that Winterbrave had turned and was trotting into the market. The fire inside her felt as though it had been extinguished by the cold of the winter's edge. And it was with this cold, that Mirrorrim took her first steps into Saba.

*End of Chapter 7*

**A/N:**

** Okay, an explanation of why this chapter is so short. I was just sitting typing to give myself something to do. And as I was writing, the chapter just seemed to take on a change of it's own accord. And as a result, it turned into something much different than I originally intended. I guess you can think of this as a sort of extension to the previous chapter. A nice little story inside another story.**

** Oh yeah, and my hyperlink making skills kinda suck, so uh, sorry about those bum links in the last note. (If all else fails, just highlight the urls and do a google search!)**

** Anyway, thanks to anyone who gave my story a read, I'll update again soon.**

** B.D. Skunkworks**


	8. Chapter 8- The Princess of Saba

*Chapter 8*

The Princess of Saba

**_ I need a wonder not a dream_

_ a moment in reality._

_ Goodbye my friend I'm leaving soon_

_ for the mountains of the moon_

_Until the end I'll be sad and blue_

_ Crying over you**_

-Olumpos Mons- _The Princess of Saba_

...

Summer Blaze took his first few tentative steps into the city of Saba. He was surrounded by towering buildings, all made of solid bronze that shone in the light given off by the mysterious sun in the blue sky. While his surroundings were beautiful to be sure, Blaze couldn't shake the suspicion that something was missing. He couldn't quite put a hoof on it... but that's when Fairweather spoke up. "Where are all the ponies?"

Now he could see it. The market they were walking through looked as though it were set up for business, although there was nopony to do said business. Their hoofsteps echoed ominously on the hard-packed dirt road as they followed Winterbrave through the market.

Blaze's eyes again drifted up to the yellow sun burning in the sky. Just how was that possible? Was Saba somehow separate from the rest of Equestria? Did this place have it's own sun, not presided over by an Equestrian ruler? He turned to ask Mirrorrim if she knew anything about the phenomenon at all. She was walking along just a little ways behind the group; her eyes were set determinedly, and somehow sightlessly ahead. She seemed entirely unaware that Blaze was trying to get her attention. Blaze abandoned the effort.

Summer Dusk's head was turning to and fro as she took in the magnificence of the bronze city. "This city is beautiful, Blaze!" she chirped. "But why is it so empty..."

"I don't know, Dusk," Blaze answered. "Maybe it's like Ivy said and all the ponies' sleep cycles have been affected by the loss of the sun. But this place doesn't seem to make any sense; how is the sun still shining here?"

"Maybe we're not even in Equestria anymore," Fairweather said, joining the conversation. "We _are_ in city unseen by most of ponykind since Celestia only knows when."

"Winterbrave could probably tell us," Blaze said. "I'd sure like you to know where the heck he's leading us."

"I'm taking you to see the princess," Winterbrave said, perfectly on que.

Blaze couldn't suppress the suspicion that he had heard every word they've been saying this whole time, despite walking some little ways ahead of them. "And incidentally; we have arrived."

The ponies were in the courtyard of a splendid towering castle. Like the numerous buildings that surrounded it, the castle itself was made of shining bronze. It was topped with many rooks that stretched seemingly on and on forever until they pierced the sky. "This is Saba castle, in case you haven't figured that out already," Winterbrave said snidely to the group.

"Yeah, something about it's castle-iness _definitely_ gave it away," Nova Burst said in kind.

Winterbrave regarded him with a sneer. "I'd watch that tone of yours, foal. Once we are in the princess's court you had better not do anything to offend her. Her word is absolute, and anyone who speaks against her...let's just say they get treated rather _coldly_." Winterbrave trotted up the stairs and beckoned for the other ponies to follow. They did so, with a collective feeling of growing apprehension.

They entered a marvelous marble-walled chamber, hung with silk tapestries and laden with exquisite marble statues of fierce-looking ponies. Their hoofsteps were echoed over a thousand times on the spotless floor. Winterbrave was waiting for them on the other side of the chamber. He stood in front of an enormous set of oaken double doors. "Princess Fimbulvetr waits in her chambers beyond these doors." Winterbrave's speech pattern had become sternly and deathly serious. He had abandoned all pretense of obnoxious superiority, as though his words right here at this moment were the most important of his life, and he needed them to understand. "She has slumbered for over two thousand years in her wait for the return of the Elements of Harmony. If you ponies really are who you say you are..." he cast a furtive look to Mirrorrim, "...Then she will finally awaken again, and her work in watching over Equestria can continue."

Winterbrave focused his magic and the great double doors opened before them with an endless moan that reverberated throughout the chamber. Blaze wasn't sure if it was his imagination, but he could have sworn the temperature just dropped by a few degrees. As Winterbrave led them inside the ornate chamber, Blaze's eyes adjusted to the sun-lit space. This room was even larger than the last; his house in Ponyville could have fit inside this place five times. There was a soft red carpet under his hooves that lead him and the others directly to the throne.

And when the group finally crossed the seemingly endless chamber, Blaze saw something there on the dais that stopped him cold in his tracks.

Before them was an enormous formation of ice. It hid the throne completely and nearly managed to reach the ceiling, which was some feat, as the ceiling was too high for Blaze to even see. Gazing into the crystalline depths of the ice, Blaze could see...no...it couldn't be... "Is that a pony in there?"

"I reckon you might be right, Blaze," Ivy Leagues said, staring in utter disbelief. There was indeed a pony encased inside this tomb of ice. Although none of them could make out any great detail about her, they were all sure that it was princess Fimbulvetr.

Winterbrave stopped just before the great mass of ice, and lowered his head to the floor in a stately bow. "Mother, I have brought to you the new bearers of the elements. And now they seek the guidance of your all-knowing wisdom."

"Mother?" Fairweather said.

"Holy hayseed, he's a prince," Ivy gasped.

"Yeah, well, that doesn't make him..." Nova Burst had began a wise-ass response to this particular revelation, but a sudden event had started before them, cutting off his speech.

The tomb of ice had started to break. Great branching spiderwebs of cracks had suddenly formed all along the structure. And then, in an intense explosion of force, the ice was broken altogether. The group of ponies instinctively flinched into protective stances, however, the myriad of broken ice shards never reached them. Princess Fimbulvetr was now free of her self-induced sub-zero slumber. The shards of her former ice tomb now floated about her body on a dazzling magical axis. Her eyes were closed as she maintained a deep focus and spun the shards of ice around her, faster and faster. And then the shards began to shape themselves around her body;they interlocked in a tight pattern around her torso, her flank, and down her legs, forming a glorious suit of icy armor. At last she spread her white wings and her transformation was complete.

Her coat was the same reflective hue of white as her son Winterbrave's; her eyes were a light, powder blue, but held all the fury of the winter itself. Her cutie mark was an aurora, with all the colors of the northern lights. And her long and magnificent horn was coated in ice, coming to a deathly sharp point. But most striking of all about her, was her mane and tail. They looked to be formed from the very vapor that your breath becomes as it is exposed to the harshness of frigid air; it flowed about her slim body in a forlornly fascinating pattern. This was Princess Fimbulvetr, in all her ice-cold glory.

She looked over the group of slightly frightened ponies before her with a but a single sweep of her icy eyes. "Two thousand years," she began in a deep and self-assured voice. "Two thousand years since I have seen those elements with my own eyes. And now their new bearers finally reveal themselves to me." She paused here, perhaps for a dramatic, (although un-needed) effect. "And in that time, these elements have been used to safeguard Equestria from a myriad of threats However, the greatest threat of all still looms..."

"You know about Nightmare Moon?" Blaze blurted out.

"How could one not?" Fimbulvetr responded, with but a trace of civility in her voice. "With Celestia, the sun's harbinger gone from the world, the tyrannical nightmare brings unrest to us all."

"But how could you know that?" Blaze said. Something inside him told him better than to challenge the knowledge of a two-thousand year old alicorn, but the question burst from his mouth before he could stop it.

"The sun shines over all of Equestria, foal, not just Ponyville."

"How does she know we're from Ponyville?" Fairweather whispered to the others. Nopony had an answer of course. Blaze chanced a look at Winterbrave. He stood just by his mother, erect and proud, and still as a statue. It was amazing that this powerful alicorn princess was his mother. But wait a second...if Fimbulvetr was his mother...and she was over two-thousand years old, how old was Winterbrave? If Fimbulvetr had indeed frozen herself in that mass of ice to preserve her lifespan, then what of him? Blaze snapped himself out of it; there were more important questions to be asked than a pony prince's age.

And then suddenly, seemingly in the first time since forever, Mirrorrim spoke up. "But your highness-"

"Who speaks out of line?" Fimbulvetr snapped. Her eyes locked on Mirrorrim, who was instantly startled into silence. Winterbrave looked at his mother reproachfully. "I will only hear from the bearers of _my_ elements. The rest of you will hold your silence!" Suddenly, a thick shell of ice had started to overtake Mirrorrim's body. The others looked to her in horror. Blaze readied his magic, attempting to counteract the spell.

"Mother, please!" Winterbrave cried plaintively. "She didn't know!" he dashed in front Fimbulvetr, hoping to detract her ire away from Mirrorrim.

Fimbulvetr regarded her son before her. The look in his eyes was something she had never seen there before. There was fear, of course, but there was something else as well. Could it be...did he... care for this pony? "Very well, Winterbrave. She shall be spared, only at your request." The ice overtaking Mirrorrim's body was instantly thawed. Her fear-widened eyes looked to Winterbrave as he retreated back to his position by his mother's side.

Screwing up his courage, Blaze spoke in Mirrorrim's place. "What I think she wanted to say, your highness, was how the sun is shining here if it was taken away by Nightmare Moon?" Seeing as he had been allowed to speak thus far, Blaze couldn't see Fimbulvetr lashing out at him. Though he now resented her for attacking his friend, he was careful to keep that fact absent from his face and his voice.

"'Tis but a simple sun spell; an artifice devised to give the ponies of my realm at least some modicum of normality in this troubled time."

"Simple?" Blaze gasped. He looked through a nearby window to the yellow sphere casting light to this place. He could not even begin to fathom the complexity of a spell that could put an artificial sun in the sky.

"But enough of that," Fimbulvetr said. "There is much more important business at hoof here. As I have predicted, the moment that I have waited over two-thousand years for has finally arrived; the Elements of Harmony have returned to me. However, only three of you fall under my jurisdiction. Will my elements of laughter, kindness, and generosity please step forward." The ponies looked around at each other. While, of course they bore the elements, they all had no idea which element was which, or who represented them. "Alas, nopony understands which elements they are in command of," Fimbulvetr said. "Never the less, the determination can be made easily." Fimbulvetr cast her horn aglow with a light-blue aura. Blaze suddenly felt his elemental necklace pulling him gently, but inexorably forward. He found himself pulled just a few paces from the others along with Fairweather and Summer Dusk. "The elements of my making now stand before me," Fimbulvetr said.

She took the three ponies in her line of sight with a single sweep of her calculating eyes. Finally her sight locked on Blaze, "Unicorn," she said. "What is your name?"

Blaze straitened himself and tried to look as tall as he could, even though he felt incomparably small in the face of this ancient and powerful alicorn. "My name is Summer Blaze, your highness." at least his voice was steady as he spoke.

Fimbulvetr turned to the next in line. "And you, pegasus, what is your name?"

"My name is Fairweather, your majesty," she replied evenly.

And lastly, Fimbulvetr turned her attention to Dusk. "Earth pony, what is your name?"

Dusk couldn't even look Fimbulvetr in the eye. The poor filly was clearly terrified; her legs trembled as she stared at the ground. "M-my n-n-name..."

Blaze came to her rescue. "Please, your highness, her name is-"

Fimbulvetr silenced him by raising an ice-clad hoof. "The child will speak for herself," she said. She cast Dusk a withering glare.

The young pony managed to pull herself together long enough to sputter, "My name is S-Summer Dusk, your highness."

Fimbulvetr nodded. And then she turned to Blaze again. "Summer Blaze, " she began. "As of now you represent the element of generosity, but I ask you this; would you or would you not take it as your own responsibility to spread the trait of generosity to everypony you meet? So that they in turn would take to their own responsibilities in life?"

Blaze did not really understand what Fimbulvetr had just said, but he knew it was important to comply with. "Yes, your highness," he said.

"And so it shall be," Fimbulvetr said. Blaze found himself enveloped in a soft bubble of magic as Fimbulvetr turned to Fairweather. "Fairweather, as of now you represent the element of kindness, but I ask you this; if kindness is spread universally throughout Equestria, without prejudice or bias, would that or would that not create a spirit of unity among all living things?"

Fairweather nodded, "Yes, your majesty."

"And so it shall be." Fairweather was surrounded by the same magic bubble that Blaze was in. And lastly, Fimbulvetr turned to Dusk. "Summer Dusk," she said. "As of now you represent the element of laughter, but I ask you this; laughter is often said to be the language of the soul, any being who can laugh is said to have the quality of innocence within them. Is this or is this not true?"

Summer Dusk straitened herself and said, "Yes, your highness."

"And so it shall be," Fimbulvetr said. Her horn came alive with a magic more powerful than anything Blaze had ever felt before. The world was suddenly lost to him in rush of soundless color. Everything spun faster and faster, he could no longer tell if his body was his own as he twirled and tumbled through the air with Dusk and Fairweather. And just as quickly as the event began, it was over. Blaze was deposited gently back on his hooves as the world came back into focus. "Behold, the new Elements of Harmony!" Fimbulvetr cried mightily. "Summer Blaze, the element of responsibility; Fairweather, the element of unity; and Summer Dusk, the element of innocence! May these new elements serve their bearers well!"

Blaze could hardly believe his eyes. The jewel inside his necklace had changed shape. It now resembled his cutie mark; a round orange sun.

"Did...did we really do it?" Summer Dusk asked tentatively.

"We did!" Summer Blaze cried. Despite his elation, Blaze suddenly found it of a dire importance to thank princess Fimbulvetr properly. He bent his front legs and lowered his head nearly to the marble floor. Dusk and Fairweather followed his example. "We humbly thank you a million times, princess Fimbulvetr," he said. "Your elements will see to Equestria's salvation."

Fimbulvetr nodded. "I certainly hope so, Summer Blaze," she said gravely.

It was only after this moment that the rest of Blaze's friends closed in on them, in awe over their new Elements of Harmony. "Y'all really did it!" Ivy cried. "We're halfway there; Nightmare Moon ain't gonna know wut's comin' to 'er!"

"Yeah, just three more to go," Blaze said, looking at Ivy Leagues, Nova Burst, and Mirrorrim. "I guess we should be off now, the sooner the better." He turned and gave princess Fimbulvetr one last bow of gratitude. He offered the same gesture to Winterbrave, not forgetting that it was he who saved them from the Windigos and guided them across the Winter's Edge.

Winterbrave offered a curt nod to Summer Blaze as he watched the group of ponies turn to go. Just as the silver-haired unicorn cast him one last look as she slowly followed the rest, was when Winterbrave remembered something direly important. "Hold!" he shouted. They all stopped and turned at his voice. His eyes were locked on the beautiful white mare. It was only when she turned to leave that Winterbrave knew he could not stand to watch her go; to potentially leave from his life forever. And yet he still did not know her name. Even from here, across the chamber, he knew his voice would carry true. "What is your name?" he asked her.

The unicorn turned whole round to face him. It was as though Winterbrave's dire need for this information resonated within her mind, for she said slowly and purposefully, "My name is Mirrorrim."

"Mirrorrim..." Winterbrave sounded the name out slowly, tasting each letter. "I will remember it," he said.

"As I will remember you, Winterbrave," she said back.

It was too much.

His name on her lips had been his undoing. He hopped from the dais and galloped the length of the chamber towards her. And at last, after crossing such an interminable distance, his mouth met hers at full speed. The other ponies looked away, slightly embarrassed at the scene. Fairweather clapped her hooves together and cooed, "Awwww, I knew it! Love at first sight!"

Winterbrave finally came up for air, his own eyes locked on Mirror's beautiful one's as he ran a hoof through her lovely silver mane. He turned back to the princess then. "Mother, I wish to go with them," he said. "Their quest is most noble and I want to be a part of it's completion. And to also be there for Mirrorrim as well." Mirror's cheeks were flushed crimson as she cast Winterbrave a glowing look.

Fimbulvetr was silent for a moment before she said, " My son, that is something that you and I both know cannot happen. _You_ are the guardian of the winter's edge, as long as any evil exists, there is potential for it to cross into our realm. You are the only thing that can ensure that doe not happen."

Winterbrave cast his head down. He knew of course that she would say that. He new the winter's edge was his only true home, ad no land away from it would ever be right for him. "If I could at least accompany her and her group back to their vessel..." surely she would allow _that_ much?

Fimbulvetr simply nodded permission. Winterbrave turned to Mirrorrim and they set off together, just a few paces behind the others for a semblance of privacy in these fleeting moments he would have with her.

The trip back was short, much too short. In what felt like a blink of an eye, they had returned to the ponies' ship. The storm at the winter's edge had passed, leaving gleaming white snow drifts and a clear night sky in it's place. "C'mon y'all," Ivy said. "Let's give 'em a moment." The other ponies boarded the ship, leaving Winterbrave and Mirrorrim on the edge of the snowfield.

The night (even this cursed night as it was) was clear and beautiful, Mirrorrim thought. Only the presence of Winterbrave could have made it better. "I'm not cold anymore, Winterbrave," she said. She loved his name, the way it flowed around her tongue. Just saying it made her heart hammer in her chest.

"You will never be cold again, Mirrorrim," He said back. "You have mastered the winter's edge, as you have mastered my heart."

Mirrorrim looked into his clear glacial-blue eyes and was instantly lost in a world that she knew only Winterbrave could take her to. She leaned into him and kissed him gently. It was a sad and beautiful moment; one that lasted forever, but not long enough. Of all the things that Mirrorrim anticipated on their journey across Equestria, falling in love was the last of them. But as she already knew, life could not be predicted.

"Awwwww!" Fairweather mooned from the ship's bow.

Winterbrave pulled away from Mirror, "You're gonna have to not do that," he snapped at her peevishly. Mirrorrim giggled silently. He turned back to Mirror. "I'll wait for you," he said to her. "I know you will succeed on your quest, no matter how long it takes. And I'll be here, waiting for you to return to me."

Mirror felt her eyes begin to brim over with tears. "I love you, Winterbrave," she said.

"As I love you, Mirrorrim."

They shared a final kiss, and all too soon it was time for the group of six to disembark. Mirror climbed the gangway onto the deck as Fairweather powered on the _Ponyvillian's _engines. And as She stood on the bow, watching the ice field and the city of Saba grow steadily smaller, Winterbrave was already galloping hard back across the winter's edge; back to his home in the ice and snow.

*End of Chapter 8*

...

**A/N:**

** Gawd Dayum I got fluffy at the end there, didn't I? Ah well, ponies fall in love too, what can be done. Anyway sorry for the gap between updates, I was kinda preoccupied by the whole debt ceiling crisis thing and the sixteen day song and dance that congress put us through, all just to repeat that bullshit come February...**

** But now that that's behind us (for now) no better thing to do than resume my fanfic, yay!**

** Okay, shout out time! I'd like to thank fanfiction user **_**bathroomstahl**_** for the fav, follow and sweet review. Thanks a bunch, buddy /)***

** And for a recommendation, definitely read **_**A Skip and a Dash**_** by fanfiction user **_**Miss pookie Fethers.**_

** So that's all for now, thanks to any and all who gave my story a read, I'll see you all again soon.**

** -B.D. Skunkworks **


	9. Chapter 9- Together it is

*Chapter 9*

Together it is

"...And then, with a flash of powerful magic, the spirit of chaos known as Discord was encased forevermore in a prison of stone. And the ponies of Equestria sang the triumph of Luna and Celestia and honored them as ruling princesses for as long as they live. The end."

Blaze had just finished reading Dusk her favorite bed time story of Luna and Celestia's victory over Discord. Dusk was asleep even before the story was finished. He tucked the blanket over her and sat in a silent moment of inward reflection. He wondered if one day this quest of theirs would become a fairy tale to tell young ponies years and years from now. And like the same story he just read, would it have a happy ending? It was with this somewhat solemn train of thought that Blaze clicked the light off and closed the door to the cabin. He idly clip-clopped down the corridor, thinking that maybe he'd join the others on the deck and see if there were any new developments.

And it was just then that Blaze felt the _Ponyvillian's_ engines shudder to a stop. Knowing that Fairweather was the only pony who knew how to access the ship's engines, he immediately about-faced and galloped back down the corridor. He came to stop when he realized that he had no idea where the engine room actually was. His best option now was to wait for Fairweather to tell them why she stopped the engines. And he didn't have to wait long.

Fairweather emerged from the engine room's staircase with a look of absolute distressed disbelief on her face.

"Fairweather, is everything alright?" Blaze asked her.

"No, it isn't." was her short response. She crossed the length of the corridor and pressed her hoof on the intercom button. "I need everypony up on deck right away!" her electronically amplified voice said.

"Mind telling me what the problem is?" Summer Blaze asked more forcibly.

"I'll tell you and everypony else at one time," Fairweather said, trotting away.

Blaze rolled his eyes, a somewhat dismissive gesture as he attempted to hide his growing anxiety. What could have Fairweather so worked up? Just then, Summer Dusk poked her head from her cabin, obviously having just been woken by Fairweather's announcement. "Whassamatta...? she yawned.

"Fairweather has something she wants to tell us up on deck," Blaze said to her.

So Blaze and Dusk made their way out onto the deck into the chilly night. Everypony was already there; With Nova and Ivy exchanging heavy-lidded glances and Mirrorrim having never left the bow, no doubt day dreaming about her and Winterbrave alone in one of the ship's cabins. They all watched as Fairweather paced the deck distractedly. "So," Nova Burst finally spoke up. "Wanna tell us what's so darn important now?"

Fairweather came to a stop but didn't raise her head from it's lowly position. "We brought a lot of things with us from Ponyville," she began.

"Yea, like food, water, spare clothin' and a heap a other stuff too," Ivy Leagues said. "I reckon we got all tha bases covered. So what we forget?"

"Fuel!" Fairweather shouted. "Of all the things we brought, I didn't think to bring a single drop of spare fuel on board!"

Okay, that was _definitely _a problem. "Well, we do have Mirror and her come-to-life spell, right?" Blaze offered hopefully.

"There is that, yes," Fairweather said offhandedly. "But we can't rely on her the whole way, she'd kill herself trying to manage it."

"Perhaps we can split the job," Mirrorrim said. "Blaze, do you happen to know a come-to-life spell?"

Summer Blaze shuffled his hooves awkwardly, "No, I don't..."

Mirror turned back to Fairweather, "What do you suggest?" she asked her.

Fairweather huffed through her nostrils. "We're severely low on fuel," she said. "As of now the engines are reading only a quarter full, and that won't get us anywhere near the white mountains, wherever the hay _they_ are; and it surely won't get us back to Ponyville." Fairweather un-tucked her telescope from her folded wing and gazed out towards the horizon. "There's an island about an hour away from here; maybe two. Do you think you can get us there, Mirror?"

"Yes I can," Mirrorrim responded confidently.

"Alright then. We'll make landfall on the island and figure out what to do from there. I suggest you guys get some sleep in the mean time," Fairweather said to the others.

Everypony agreed and headed below deck. Once back in their cabin, Blaze tucked Summer Dusk into the bed again. He was just on the verge of leaving the room when Dusk spoke. "Blaze?" she said.

"Yeah, kiddo?"

"We can do it, can't we?"

Blaze was just slightly taken aback. "Do what?"

"Complete our quest," Dusk said. "We've come such a long way and everypony is counting on us; _everypony_, including Celestia. I don't wanna let her down, Blaze..."

"Of course we can do this," Blaze said back. He sat on the edge of the bed. "And when we do, everypony is going to have a big celebration. They're even going to write story books about us."

"Do you really think so?" Dusk asked him.

"I know so," Blaze said. "And when Nightmare Moon is defeated and the spell is broken, Celestia will return and you can really have that face to face that you've always wanted with her."

Dusk giggled. "And then you can marry Princess Luna!"

Blaze felt the color rise in his face. "Well...I mean...

"Admit it, Blaze, you _looooove heeeeeer!_" Dusk drew the two words out in a tauntingly child-like fashion. "Remember at the Summer Sun Celebration-"

"-Good night, sleep tight!" Blaze kissed her forehead and made haste from the room. It was only out in the corridor did Blaze's thoughts catch up to him. Of course Dusk was right, he _was_ in love with Luna. In the short number of minutes he had to behold her beauty was all it took. But Blaze had always thought, that if things had gone normally; the sun rising as it always did; Nightmare Moon having never returned; what would happen then? He would return home to Ponyville, and carry on life as he usually would. And Luna would just as quickly forget his face and never give a second thought as to even what his name was.

But things had not gone normally.

In a series of drastically unfortunate events, Blaze had lost his Luna to the Nightmare in the moon and henceforth, sending him and his friends on a quest to the ends of the earth.

Luna. _His_ Luna was still alive inside that nightmare, he knew it; he could _feel_ it. What it came down to now was separating her conscious from Nightmare Moon's. Blaze tapped the elemental necklace around his neck.

Responsibility.

The element that found itself most fitting for his cause. It was formally the element of generosity, and if Blaze's memory from the famous legend served, that element belonged to the unicorn Rarity.

Generosity and responsibility.

Somehow the two went hoof-in-hoof, Princess Fimbulvetr would not have deemed him with such an element otherwise. He knew that it was his responsibility to rescue Luna. Of course, that would not be possible without the help of his friends; the other elements, but somehow, in the end, it would all fall to him. And it was with this thought that Blaze re-entered the cabin in an attempt to maybe find a little sleep.

...

Out on a deserted island, there was a sudden disturbance. Said disturbance coming from one of the island's inhabitants in the form of an excited squeak. "Ooh ooh, lookie lookie!"

Two more of island natives joined in the excitement. "What is it, Zipzee?"

"I don't really know," Zipzee said back. "Why don't you ask Tra La La?"

"I don't know either," Tra La La squeaked back. "Does Tiddly Wink know?"

The small fairy pony cocked her head in a semblance of deep,playful thought. "It's a ship!" she said.

"A ship?!" the other two said in unison.

"Full of lost traveling ponies!" Tiddly Wink said.

"Ooh ooh ooh! More playtime?" Tra La La asked with an excited anxiety.

"We haven't had anyone to play with in such a long time," Zipzee cooed.

"Ooh, here they come!" Tra La La said. "We should hide so we can surprise them! And I I think Zipzee should lead the way."

"No, no, no," Zipzee said, shaking her head so her antennae waggled furiously. "I think Tiddly Wink should lead the way."

"No, no, no," Tiddly Wink declined. "I think Tra La La should lead the way."

There was just the shortest moment of silence between the three of them, and then in chorused unison they exclaimed, "Together it is!" Their antennae came alight with colorful magic and the three of them zipped back into the dense forest, awaiting their game with the unsuspecting ponies.

*End of Chapter 9*

**A/N:**

** Okay, this chapter was short, really effing short. I mean DAYUM it was short. And I apologize for that; giving you more or less just a very unappetizing taster here, but as this chapter is going to be divided into three distinct sections, I didn't really want them to all run together into a blur. So bear with me, the real meat of the chapter will be up soon.**

** As for our three little friends introduced here, you may or may not know them as Breezies. If you don't know what a Breezie is, look it up. **** wiki/List_of_My_Little_Pony_characters_animated_in _the_2000s **

** After watching some G3 my little pony, mainly **_**Crystal Princess: The Runaway Rainbow, **_**learned of the existence of these little buggers, and quite frankly, I found them fascinating. I wonder why the Breezies haven't been touched on at all in **_**Friendship is Magic**_**? What, did they die out or something?**

** Anyway, I'm rambling here. I'd like to give a shout out to fanfiction user **_**searing light dragon**_** u/1641994/ for the fav and the follow. Thanks a lot man /)***

** And if you're looking for another great pony fic, you should read **_**At What price? s/9715960/1/At-What-Price **_**by fanfiction user Cozy Mark IV u/1219118/Cozy-Mark-IV **

** Anyhow, with the longest A/N ever behind me, now I say goodbye, I'll post again soon.**

** -B.D. Skunkworks**


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